Stopping The Flames
by Trixie The Fox
Summary: The Story of a theft trying to survive on a planet where lava that moves & never cools covers the land. where the chaos emeralds are an old wise tale & where Sonic himself is supposedly not real. 900 years passed Sonic's time. can anyone save this world?
1. Chapter 1 “Legends”

Chapter 2 "Steady Sandbar"

Chapter 1 "Legends"

_Disaster...That's all that has come of our world since the ancient times…all that we know is the lava and flames have gotten to be more and more of a problem…everywhere I go I encounter people in trouble…buildings shattered into pieces…forests burned to the ground…ruins and rocks with all grass killed and extinct forever to come…I don't know what has happened or why I am put into the puzzle…I have been told I am important some how…that I need to protect people…what am I to do when there's nobody…to protect...and how can I do it when I've done so much wrong…already…?_

"Lalo! Lalo! Get out of dream mode will you?" a calm female voice spoke.

The fox rubbed his face and looked back at the impatient face of the girl.

"Rosy why are you always on my tail?" Lalo asked sighing as she smiled wide.

"Can't help it, there's nothing else better to do around here." She said hoping he'd laugh at her dry humor.

He gave her a courtesy laugh.

"What did you want me for?" Lalo said moving more onto the rock he was sitting upon.

The area around them was dry and there were many cracks in the ground.

The sky was never to be blue again, just a red and black that was beautiful but offered no warmth.

The sun was blocked out by the blackness of the afternoon they got an orange sunset once in years…it was a sad place.

Rosy was wearing a blue shirt with a pink skirt, she wore a charm bracelet with hearts and her ear's opening was even shaped like a heart. Her fur was two different shades of pink with red streaks in some places with matching shoes.

Lalo had the colors of fire engraved on his patch of fur over his head and on his tail and was wearing torn grey gloves and a dark red jacket with a sleeve missing.

He had a scarf with the same colors of flames on them with a gold buckle in the middle.

His normal fur was dark red and his shoes were red and grey with grey slacks or sweat-pants.

He had a belt underneath the jacket with dark red eyes.

"Besides Lalo I've been hearing about the legends again and I just get so excited after hearing about them, the chaos emeralds! Wouldn't you give your heart and sole just to hold those marvels?" Rosy said earnestly.

"Chaos Emeralds." He said unimpressed. "You know there's no such thing as magical gems with the power to turn thoughts into power." He said sarcastically.

He rolled with eyes still with a smile, all in fun.

"Look Rosy, there's no such things as chaos emeralds; I've been all over this planet so I should know." He said. "Besides if they did exist the lava would have melted them down."

Rosy smiled.

"Well, I'd still like to know it to be true, think of how beautiful they'd be." said Rosy.

"Next you're going to tell me the lava lake that circles the planet used to have water in it." He said laughing. "But yeah Rosy, that would be cool if it was true."

Lalo was more serious at the moment but Rosy always managed to change the mood set.

He jumped down off the rock.

"Well we should probably get moving again." Lalo said. "No piece of ground stays bare for long."

Rosy was Lalo's best friend and they shared a brother-sister relationship, he was about four years older then she was.

The two started walking a long road; it was difficult to find water or food so living passed ten was hard.

They stepped across the rocky bear land with the fiery sky circling overhead; the clouds seemed in the shape of fire if there ever were any.

Lalo was seventeen years old while Rosy was thirteen, he had a wondering heart that never staid in one place.

"You think we'll see Tyson any time soon?" Rosy asked, creating conversation.

"I don't know Tyson's an odd character," said Lalo. "Besides with his family line he's marked by pretty much any survivors around here."

"But you told me the legends weren't real?" Rosy said with an innocent concern to her voice.

"Some are real some aren't, you don't believe all of them are do you? The survivors hold on to hope by thinking its fact not fiction." said Lalo. "Being related to Blake the vicious from the legends is enough to make anybody concerned."

"It still doesn't make sense to me, a long line supposedly not real and people still accuse him because of it." Rosy said.

Lalo quickened his pace, while Rosy skipped behind.

"Well you can't really blame them, from their point of view Blake the vicious is the one who destroyed everything and ruined this planet when it was still young and Spike the warrior the supposedly 'confused individual' where there are different versions on whether he was evil or not." said Lalo.

"Yeah…the legends are all this planet really has, I mean besides the lava." Rosy said toning down a little. "Do you think Spike would have been evil if he'd have been real?"

"I don't rightly know, the stories are never the same." Lalo said.

Rosy shrugged her shoulders.

"All the same I'd like to see Tyson again." said Rosy.

Lalo half smiled. "Rosy it's almost impossible to tell where he is, let alone anyone for that matter not get pushed away by him he hates company, everyday the lava moves somewhere else, lava that never cools down, lava that never stops moving."

"Like Chaos seven?" Rosy asked.

Lalo laughed. "Chaos is the most illogical ledged there is, like a puddle that moves could destroy a whole town with one blast, what was it called? Oh yeah station square, what a weird name for a sandbar."

"Maybe they didn't live on sandbars; maybe there was land that lava didn't flood the stable land?" Rosy asked.

"Alright lets not talk about all these rumors, they're just going to confuse." Lalo said. "From the beginning there was lava Rosy, end of story." Lalo said grabbing her wrist.

"Alright…if you say so." Rosy said biting her lip.

End chapter


	2. Chapter 2 “Steady Sandbar”

Chapter 2 "Steady Sandbar"

Chapter 2 "Steady Sandbar"

Lalo and Rosy approached Steady Sandbar, an outpost paved on a cliff where lava couldn't reach.

It was paved up and on the top was a curved middle, like a stump.

Lava circled it; there was a path to it made of hard rocks like a stepping-stone entrance.

Lalo and Rosy had been walking the main road that was built of smaller 'sandbars' as they were called which were plots of land where the lava couldn't reach.

When there was stable land it was dangerous to stay on for too long.

This outpost had not had lava high enough to be a problem since year 863.

There were ten people at the gate entrance, they did not allow anybody in the safe refuge who had ill intentions or who didn't have enough money to pay the entrance fee.

there was one other way of getting in but you needed to be well known, in the fiery world having a name for yourself was valuable, it was said to be 'good luck' to give special treatment to important individuals.

The guards at the gate were in brass armor that did not look as fancy as you would think, but having any brass at all was hard so in reality it was fancy, where metal became more common due to Blake's old bases staying strong.

But Lalo didn't believe that Blake was the one who built the bases, it was all an olden tale to him.

As they stepped slowly over the rocks Rosy walked slowly behind him, he passed faster as the lava around the city was making him uncomfortable.

Both of them approached the gate and the guards were there to question them.

"Alright, who are you and what is your business?" the guard said.

The guard who questioned them was a mouse; his mates were a few foxes a hedgehog a hawk and a few lynxes.

Rosy curtsied and smiled while Lalo half smiled.

"My name is Lalo, this is my friend Rosy, we don't have much money but we might have enough for a decent meal." he said.

"Alright show me your mark." the guard said.

These days ill intentions ran wild, with a low supply of food there was more looting and more stealing, so each capital used a system to see where you're from.

If you're from the northern gate then you would most likely have a mark on your hand of a horse, the western area was the blacksmith's capital where most of the metal and brass was found so the mark would probably have a hammer on an anvil.

Lalo was a wonderer so he had no emblem, Rosy came from the east where the wealthy, important and the warriors stayed, but one of the sandbar outposts fell causing her to loose her home and her wealth, making it difficult to live in the east with the higher price range.

Lalo had met her, she was probably six years old and lucky enough to have strayed out when the lava covered the sandbar but she had been stuck on a rock in the middle of a lava filled ocean.

in time the lava moved and Rosy ran but was tired and scared, Lalo was passing by being the loner he was it was difficult to except her presence but he couldn't leave her alone so they eventually became friends.

Lalo was hesitant.

Rosy stretched her hand out happily removing her glove, her eyes closed with a pleased look on her face.

The guard looked over her palm, quite surprised.

Rosy's mark was a rose on a knife, it signified where she came from and it was rare to come across one as the east's lands were more treacherous to stay in.

But on the other hand was more of the purer lands and quite a few trees were left.

It was also ironic because her name was Rosy.

The guard was pleased, darting his head back to one of his chums repeating in words the mark on her hand.

"You are most welcome." the mouse said eagerly readying to open the door.

Lalo was hoping he would not be asked to show his hand.

To his luck Rosy's mark was unusual enough to make the guards forget about checking him.

"Enjoy your stay." the guards said pulling on the scrap metal doors, opening them with a tight grip on each side.


	3. Chapter 3 “Meeting Sofia”

Chapter 3 "Meeting Sofia"

Chapter 3 "Meeting Sofia"

Lalo and Rosy entered into the city.

It wasn't as dark as it would have been, there was an ancient invention used for some artificial light, said to have been made by a scientist of old.

The glowing orbs lit the city enough to walk, their power source were old crystals from the mines of the west, it was also where a lot of other objects allowing civilization were found.

"Lalo isn't the city pretty?" Rosy said with glee.

Lalo was keeping his hands in his pockets as he bowed his head closer into his jacket hoping nobody would recognize him.

Although Rosy never knew of his past, Lalo was a theft a long while ago he felt he had to being a wonderer was hard.

ever since Rosy joined him getting things was easier for him; her name being known supposedly related to a more positive character from the legends and having a name was as good as currency to the ones who believed in the legends.

this was a reason Rosy was so curious of the legends she could never figure out who it was she was connected to, but the locket she wore around her neck was proof at least one ledged was true.

Finding out who it was; was harder, so many different versions of the same stories made it impossible to tell, but the locket was proof enough for her.

Even so Lalo would have to sneak off and pinch things, which he felt awkward about, he had to lie on top of it finding different ways to explain where he got things to Rosy.

The city was full of buildings, all scrap metal of course, the floor was a combination of smaller rocks that were paved down; it was like standing on a hill.

There were markets outside but they always had a limited supply.

This particular sandbar had a huge fruit tree, it was guarded by twenty soldiers who were in charge of making sure nobody stole fruit or attempted to take branches.

The trees seeds were stored in a large hidden metal basin, once in a while the lava would make a nice soil for growing, but it was difficult to collect.

You could buy seeds but it would be extremely difficult.

Rosy approached a merchant selling bred.

"Doesn't that smell good Lalo?" Rosy said threading her arm under his that was firmly in his pockets.

She dragged him over.

The stand was metal like the city, the merchant was a female hedgehog with brown garb and hooded clothing; she was blue with a streak of fur over the top of her head, her quills went down and she wore white and red shoes, with black patches around her eyes.

She had green eyes and a bright smile.

"Hello, are you looking to buy bred?" the girl said.

"Yes one second." Rosy said reaching into her socks for a few spare coins. "Is ten metals enough?"

The hedgehog was pleased, Lalo had his back turned to her with his hands still pressed into his pockets hoping not to be noticed as Rosy held his arm happily.

"Your friend looks a little alarmed? What's he hiding from?" the hedgehog said friendlily.

"Oh he's always like this when we go into cities, brave in the face of danger unless there are people around." Rosy said placing the metal currency in her hand.

"This isn't quite enough for a decent amount, do you have a well known name?" the hedgehog asked.

"Oh silly me, my name's Rosy Lee, I think my last name's either Prower or Valliant, my mother never made up her mind which it was." she said with a smile.

"Prower or Valliant? My goodness it's an honor to meet you." the hedgehog said with excitement in her voice; she put a stack of bred in her hands.

Rosy laughed. "Everybody says that, thank you for this, everyone's so eager to be nice to me; it's good to know so many good people are left."

Sofia's vision was focused on the gold locket. "Real gold? That would be worth an entire nation." she said. "Or is it gold plated?"

"it's real, you have no idea how many people have tried to steal it, I wish I could get it open to see what's inside it, I have no idea what the T stands for." Rosy said.

Lalo was still shielding himself; Rosy turned her head to him, and then pulled his hand down.

He shrugged and looked up with another half smile.

The hedgehog seemed to recognize his face, she dismissed it.

"Well is there anything else I can help you with? My name's Sofia." said the hedgehog. "Glad to meet you."

Lalo decided to not arose more suspicion by being silent. "You too, do you know of any cheap places to sleep?"

"Yeah sleeping on the ground is fine, but once in a while it's nice to sleep without worrying about catching on fire." she said with a loud laugh.

"I know what you mean, I'm just lucky my mother's the baker here, she gets free wheat for cooking and splitting half the profits with the city." Sofia said.

Lalo looked shocked. "You can grow wheat here?!"

"A selected amount yes, there's a bit of rich ground near the fruit tree." Sofia said. "But enough talking your ear off, the lodging house is that way."

She pointed to a big building with a metal sign that said: Bear's Bed and Bar.

Lalo was not impressed, but it was something.

"Thanks." he said with Rosy scampering behind.

Sofia looked concerned as they left, she knew she'd seen Lalo before.

The two of them went into the bed and bar; there were rough looking characters all around, not the type to steal but not the type to pull up a chair for you either.

the bar tender was a bear, a lot larger in size then any other which is why they figured the ceiling was so high.

He gave them a room key and a warning. "Don't give us any problems, this B&B won't take any of that."

Rosy's eye wondered off the bar thinking it stupid to mess around in a place like that but at least it had walls.

As Lalo walked up the stairs he got a feeling he didn't like.

End chapter


	4. Chapter 4 “Wrong Doing”

Chapter 4 "Wrong Doing"

Chapter 4 "Wrong Doing"

Rosy's head was laid snuggly into the pillow with patches all over it.

A warm blanket was over her, while Lalo was in the bed beside her.

Lalo had a bad feeling of guilt for now he needed to find a way to pay for the night's sleep.

Rosy nudged her head fast asleep but happily even in her dreams.

Lalo got out of his bed throwing his jacket on, he creaked the metal door to their room slowly opening it and letting in dim light.

He told Rosy when he stole that he had money shipped in every week from his parents which was not true in the least, for one it was difficult to get mail, Rosy didn't know that because where she lived mail was a priority and two Lalo lost his parents years ago.

One of the hardest things Lalo had, was trusting others, because he'd never truly trusted himself; he needed to sneak some 'Metals' which was their word for the metal coins used as money.

He was dressed, putting on his gloves to excuse fingerprints.

He walked down the stairs and he was pleased to find the bar was empty; he walked slowly to the table looking both ways before opening the drawer.

But the drawer wasn't budging.

He pulled something out of his pocket slowly trying to keep the noise down; he had a Swiss army knife.

He pulled the small blade out picking at the slit in the drawer until it opened.

There was a large amount of money in there, tons of tips from the bar-goers.

He was tempted to take it all but thought Rosy would get suspicious so he took a hundred metals which would be enough for the room and some supplies of food.

He put the coins in his pocket and slowly closed the drawer again.

He let out a sigh, Lalo was not proud of taking from others his conscious bothered him and he'd have to put up with it.

He had a foolish notion he'd pay them back which was obviously not going to happen with times so rough.

He ran up the stairs to his room and tiptoed to his bed, next to his bed was a bag; he put the money inside it tying it like a package.

"What a dirty trick I've been pulling on Rosy all these years…" Lalo thought to himself feeling buckets full of regret.

There was a creaking sound at his door as he was laying into his pillow thinking; he raised his eyes wondering who was there.

The bartender was at the door, the brown grisly bear moved its paws to turn the door knob.

Lalo attempted hiding the bag behind him then got out of bed as if he'd done nothing wrong.

The dim light turned on, the small orb lit the room a little.

Rosy rubbed her eyes then darted back at the bear concerned.

"I'd like to see you both downstairs, now." the bear said in his deep voice as he left the room.

"Lalo what's this about?" Rosy asked concerned.

Lalo tried hiding the bag but Rosy noticed it in the back of his hand.

"Lalo what's in the bag?" she said moving hands off the bed as she got on her feet.

He walked backwards as she approached him. "Lalo what's in the bag?"

Lalo had been found out, he didn't know what it was he did to be discovered but the guilt was so strong he finally came clean to Rosy.

"Rosy my parents have been gone for years…I've been stealing to survive." he said with a sad sigh.

Rosy gasped. "No…"

"I'm sorry Rosy, I told you not to get involved with me when you came along…I can't help it it's the only way I knew how to make it this far on my own." Lalo said.

"That's no excuse for stealing! I can't believe you've been lying to me all this time!" she said in an angry way.

Compassion was not there after all the lies.

"Well everything came easy to you! You can get whatever you want by waving your hand." Lalo said trying to drown out her words with his.

"I had to work for that mark, years spent working in a city that burned to the ground and I watched it happen, and you think my life is easy!" she said.

Lalo ran out the door with the coins in his pocket, he had to either face it or run away from it now.

End chapter


	5. Chapter 5 “The Mistake”

Chapter 5 "The Mistake"

Chapter 5 "The Mistake"

The bear waited at his desk, there were guards all around him and as Lalo tried running out the door he was apprehended by two of them.

Rosy watched sadly from the top of the stairs.

Lalo struggled back and fourth hoping to slip away but nothing was loosening the grip.

"Sit him down boys." the bear said. "I gave him a chance to make an honest man of himself."

Lalo's fur was pushed on hard as he was seated and he decided not to try running.

He covered his face with his hands.

One of the guards stretched out his hand grabbing Lalo's wrist opening his palm.

"Just as I thought, no emblem." the bartender said. "Those stupid gatemen have done it again, they know thefts can't keep a stamp for long without being found to be stealing."

"I'm sorry but I didn't have the money to pay you back, I only took what I needed." Lalo said.

"And that's supposed to justify it? You think this world is free? Why didn't you ask to sleep on a chair or something? You might have gotten some sympathy from your being an older brother caring for a younger sister."

"…she's not my sister we're friends…or at least we were." Lalo said shrugging his shoulders.

Rosy bit her lip nervous.

The guards put him on his feet holding his arms behind his back as one of them took the money back and returned it.

"Sorry boy I don't make the rules, you're going to have to pay the consequences." the bear said turning his back. "But the girl can stay a few more nights without worry."

As Lalo was escorted out the door he looked with sorry eyes back at Rosy; she was holding in speaking.

A sad silence followed Lalo as he was taken away, he regretted putting himself where he was but in his eyes he had no choice dismissing the fact he could have tried and he could have chosen to do the right thing in the past.

But Rosy didn't know what to do, so she let her emotions out and ran into her room upset hoping he wouldn't get too much of a bad punishment.

The local police was a different lot, they were harsh.

Through the glowing city he sulked and struggled trying to get out of his hold, he was hand coved now and the chains were heavy.

Lalo was pushed through a door of a clear metal room, nicer then the other buildings but it didn't bring Lalo's hopes up any.

His teeth started chattering; he didn't even get a trial and was pushed into an empty cell to wait for goodness knows when.

"You'll bunk here till the chief comes around." The guard said.

Lalo held his knees continuing to sulk. "What have I gotten myself into this time…"

The floor was cold the bars were not welcoming and the bed was soft but hard in the middle.

"I wonder what Rosy's thinking…" he couldn't help but think to himself.

He was left alone with his thoughts for hours until he pulled himself to go to sleep…his dream was almost like blinking he was awake all of a sudden.

He realized he had not slept the whole night he barely got twenty minutes of sleep before he was interrupted.

"PST!" a voice said.

His heart leapt "Rosy?"

Somehow a cloaked figure stood before him, seeming beautiful to his eyes as he rubbed them but it wasn't Rosy.

It was clearly a girl on the other hand; beside her was a cloaked figure of a hedgehog.

"Hurry! Don't you know they hang thefts? Not even the girl you're helping can unharden the people's harsh actions!" the girl said.

She quickly unlocked the door.

Lalo was surprised, his eyes opened up.

"You heard her!" the other hedgehog said with haste in his voice.

The fox was whisked away as quickly as he'd woken up, being pulled by the guy hedgehog and being led by the girl.

He spoke out but was interrupted again.

"Be quiet I'm trying to save your neck." She whispered loudly. "But I'll be buried alive before I see another person scratched out due to the uneasiness of the survivors! No trial or anything to make up for it! That's something Eggman would have done!"

End chapter


	6. Chapter 6 “Taken Away”

Chapter 6 "Taken Away"

Chapter 6 "Taken Away"

Through the gate they took off in the night when the city was asleep.

"Wait! I need to get Rosy!" he said in a loud whisper.

"She'll be accommodated for your actions; with any luck she'll get her own place or a free rent from the victim of your crime." The girl hedgehog said.

"You mean she may actually…have a better life without me…right…?" Lalo said. "Probably…" She said.

The guy hedgehog was already working on the front gate; the guards were stupidly asleep on their shift.

The guy hedgehog put his hands through his cloaked sleeves and Lalo could see glowing gold rings around his wrists, glowing so bright like a power ring of old.

He laid his hands on the bars and before his eyes pulled them apart with sheer strength.

Lalo was stuttering, these people had just saved his life and broken him out of prison and he didn't even know who they were.

The girl grabbed his coat sleeve pulling him to go.

They walked through the sandbar looking down at the lava ocean and the heat they had gotten used to still gave them a problem.

Soon they were a far enough distance away on a small sandbar, only there was no city on this one.

The hedgehog sat down on a rock as the girl hedgehog started making sure all her packed stuff was there.

Lalo rubbed his head and slowly sat down waiting for an explanation but he was mostly hoping Rosy would get along well without him.

"I believe we've met." The girl hedgehog said, pulling down her hood revealing herself. "And I doubt even if old Egg-head from the legends was alive he'd find us."

She smiled widely almost jeering happily.

"Sofia?" Lalo said in a confused state. "Why on earth would you save me?"

"Frankly the people are looking for blame, even if you did wrong it doesn't deserve a death sentence, your crime's an excuse to throw blame at most you should have to work it off or be in jail a few years." said Sofia.

Lalo was really grateful, he was actually smiling.

The guy hedgehog looked a lot more impatient.

"And who are you?" Lalo said sounding in a nicer mood.

"I'm not going to tell you, you think I want everyone on my tail?" the hedgehog said.

Lalo was about to further the question when Sofia spoke out. "Don't mind him he just doesn't have a very good record."

"Sofia didn't you give up a paying job? Do you have ANY IDEA how hard it is to get a paying job ANYWHERE? Frankly on this planet you're lucky to even get any amount of food without having to be related to a legend." Lalo said. "And you hardly know me."

"I know you Lalo, you're the one who stole my paycheck." said Sofia.

Lalo gritted his teeth in surprise.

"I'm a lot cleverer then you think." Sofia said with a giggle. "And frankly you're lucky you caught me, really the place I worked at was only a cart I found and some bred I bought, it was my cover for the week so they wouldn't so checking my hand."

"What?" Lalo asked.

"Black and I here are drifters going from place to place doing odd jobs scouting out for an odd character there's been rumors about." Sofia said. "And since we go different places we can't get an emblem and the people will give us the same fate you were about to get."

"Black is his name?" Lalo said with a chuckle.

The cloaked hedgehog grunted.

"A nickname she gave me insufficient fox." The hedgehog said sounding very testy. "I wouldn't hang around her except for the information she'd given me, you think I like staying around your type of people?"

"Alright we all know you don't like fun Blacks." Sofia said.

"Who is it you're looking for?" Lalo asked.

The girl hedgehog rubbed the fur on her head back. "Do you always ask so many questions?"

She sighed. "We're looking for somebody called Tyson; he's supposedly in a lot of trouble due to his last name."

"Tyson Streak?" Lalo said. "You kidding me? I know him well, actually I half thought Black here was Tyson."

The hedgehog grunted again disliking the nickname but putting up with it so they wouldn't know his real name.

"No but he's probably in the same boat if not a worse one." Sofia said.

"Do you want to tell the whole world who I am?" the hedgehog said.

Lalo couldn't tell but he could swear he was looking annoyed from the sound of his voice.

The heat started to rise in temperature, there was a gashing sound like the world was coming to an end and suddenly the lava started to rise.

A wave of lava rose in the air almost in the form of a monster.

"All this time…it had been more then just lava…" Lalo thought seeing the horrific site.

It was about to cover the sandbar from the direction it was facing it got larger and larger until it seemed to reach the height of the clouds; so far up you could barely see the top of it.

A shriek from Sofia was just one of the panicked sounding voices that after echoed through the sandbar city nearby.

"ROSY!" Lalo began screaming until a smaller wave was about to cover him.

The land he was standing on started to break away.

Sofia tried grabbing his hand and the other more distant hedgehog even attempted grabbing him by the jacket but Lalo soon found himself on a stump in the middle of a lava ocean with a monster like wave about to crash down on him.

He raised his hands attempting to shield himself in vain when suddenly…as Lalo's eyes were shut he began to notice he wasn't dead.

He knew for sure the lava had just covered him but he didn't feel a burn and he didn't feel death.

He slowly opened his eyes…

End chapter


	7. Chapter 7 “FlameCaster”

Chapter 7 "Flame-Caster"

Chapter 7 "Flame-Caster"

As he opened his eyes he saw the most amazing sight of his life, lava flames circling around him like being stuck in a huge globe.

He could see nothing but fire but he felt for the first time; a breeze, a cold refreshing tint to himself.

There was a red circular color running round him; he didn't move his hand but he noticed his hand was the one creating it.

A fire was surrounding his hands making them glow red yellow and orange like a fire that he couldn't feel.

There was no pain in the flames but they somehow brought a deep comfort as if a feeling of responsibility and importance, a significant feeling from doing something heroic that Lalo had never before felt in his life.

There was a voice echoing a wise but delicate female voice.

He didn't dare move his hands from place but he saw a glowing white ball inside the shield he thought the voice was coming from.

"This is a descendant of Iblis…a flame taken out from another world but in it's blowing out he took root here…it has covered your world…my name is Tikal and I am the guardian of time and space and it is my duty to guide the heroes of your time when greatest need…once chaos had attempted creating a world like yours on another planet…a world that was green and free…a world you could not imagine…you are a descendant of the first Flame Caster…"

The voice was comforting but scaring him to death like hearing a ghost speak.

"Hero? I can't be a hero." Lalo said with a grunt trying to keep his hands up as he felt pressure on them. "And what's a Flame Caster!"

The glowing white orb floated up and down and seemed to be dripping tiny stars as it levitated over him.

He suddenly he saw a white light cover him…He opened his eyes and he was somewhere else…a beautiful place with pillars and relics of an old time.

A glowing green gem was at the height of a pace of stairs with seven surrounding emeralds.

The girl wore a small golden crown on her head with a gem in the middle, a necklace and a skirt with a white shirt and blue bracelets.

Lalo was still in the same pose with his eyes wide open and then he lowered his hands starring in awe of the glowing green emerald.

"My name is Tikal the echidna." The girl said. "And I've walked the steps of time helping people; for I know there are others abusing it."

"This is unreal…" Lalo said still in shock.

Tikal walked up the stairs to the green emerald.

"This is the master emerald, ruler of the seven chaos emeralds." said Tikal.

"Now I know I'm dead…the chaos emeralds aren't real." Lalo said unconvinced.

"Do you know what you're saying? The chaos emeralds are the backbone of our world and now your world, these gems have unlimited power for either good or bad and it is most important that you find them in your time." Tikal said. "Because it's your duty; helping people is mine and saving people is yours."

"I don't know what you mean…people would rather see me hanged them see me save them." said Lalo. "And what's my duty? What is a flame caster?"

"Sonic the hedgehog once protected my world and your world after my world's destruction, but as of now the only ones even trying are the two you are traveling with." said Tikal. "Take a good luck at these emeralds and I'll show you what a flame caster is."

Lalo starred deep into the emeralds and he felt this warm feeling like nothing could ever go wrong even from the distance he was standing.

"Now you can't use the chaos emeralds but there are some that can. The hedgehogs with you can both use the emeralds there are two others who can as well." Tikal said.

"I know you're lying if the legends really are true only Sonic and Shadow can use the chaos emeralds." said Lalo.

"That changes nothing I have said." Tikal said smiling. "As I've said before there are others that can use them still alive."

"Wait…are you saying Sonic or Shadow…" Lalo's jaw dropped. "I need to sit down for a second…"

He sat down on the steps feeling like he was about to throw up or pass out.

"Better suck it up; I'm going to show you an ancient ancestor or yours." said Tikal.

A light shown out of her hands and Lalo saw his feet glowing. "Whoa what's going on." He said with panicky screeches.

"I'm really not starting to like this." Lalo said shaking as he opened his eyes once again.

In front of him was a fox walking slowly west of them looking determined to fight someone or something.

There were soldiers around the fox circling him all hedgehogs but there was a huge run of gunfire.

Fire shot out of his hands starting from a spark them circling his hands and flowing from them and a beam of flames shot out after.

He had orange eye patches with pure red fur, his eyes were a dark red and he looked as if he didn't even notice Lalo and Tikal.

His fighting skills were outstanding, manipulating the fire that shot out of him surrounding himself but doing no harm to himself.

"This is Flame, he gained this power in a chemical fire and ever since his DNA was altered to the manipulation of flame, this explains how you can use the same ability." Tikal explained.

Lalo wanted to faint; half of the stuff she was telling him he didn't want to believe.

"And you're saying I can do that?" Lalo asked his eyes full of concern.

"With practice yes in fact you may be able to better him, Flame almost all of the time used his ability for defense, with the lava you will BE the defense." said Tikal.

End chapter


	8. Chapter 8 “The Black Hedgehog”

Chapter 8 "The Black Hedgehog"

Chapter 8 "The Black Hedgehog"

"I have one more important message; for I'm not allowed to interfere with you anymore. It's important you find the chaos emeralds before this new Iblis does." Tikal said slowly. "If he gets the chaos emeralds he could reawaken a more deadly enemy that even kept Sonic at bay..."

"Wait I still don't understand a lot of this." Lalo said rushing through his sentence as he saw a light cover him and when it was gone…he was in the same situation he was in before, lava raced over his head and he didn't know how to control it.

A swirling haze overhead, he chose to try moving his hands down fast in hope of manipulating the move Flame used.

His hand had breeched some of the lava but it didn't hurt him too badly and the lava sunk back in place and the monster was gone.

He looked behind him and Sofia was lying on the ground in a scarred state, she thought she would have died if not for the area she was standing; she was however knocked off her feet.

The other hedgehog's cape was laying over him so you could not see his face but it was clear he was breeched by some of the lava for he had burn marks on his leg.

"Lalo how did you do that…?" Sofia asked.

"Do what?" Lalo asked still shaken up with a rushed sound to his voice.

"You moved the lava Lalo! THE LAVA." Sofia said standing up with a freaked out sound to her voice.

"Yeah I guess I'll need to explain that." Lalo said rubbing the back of his hand.

The black hedgehog suddenly groaned.

Lalo screeched in terror backing up immediately. "WHAT THE!" Lalo exclaimed.

He had two rings around his gloves and two around his ankles, a red and black pair oh pattern gloved under them.

He had black fur and red streaks over his head and down his quills.

This was Shadow the hedgehog.

"Great." She said sarcastically moving toward him shaking the black hedgehog. "He's going to kill me; I promised I'd get him an emerald AND keep his identity a secret."

Lalo blinked. "I don't know what's more surprising, that you're talking of a chaos emerald…OR SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG IS STILL ALIVE!"

The noise woke Shadow up, disgruntled and angry. "What happened." He said rubbing his head.

And screeching from the pain in his leg.

Sofia stood up shrugging her shoulders as he was annoyed from the shaking as well.

"What was up with that Lalo?" she said.

"I blanked out and uhhh well you wouldn't believe me if I told you." said Lalo. "But isn't the bigger question, WHY IS SHADOW STILL ALIVE! The legends were nine hundred years ago!"

Shadow rolled his eyes. "Insufficient Fox, I am the ultimate life form, I am ageless and can not die unless killed and how unlikely is that."

Lalo was way passed stressed. "Alright…I'm just crazy, that's the only explanation."

"I don't care if you don't believe Me." said Shadow taking off his hood. "In fact I'm almost to the point of leaving."

Shadow grunted he had a burn that was bothering him but he had to put up with it.

Finding water was equally hard to find then a city with supplies or anything for that matter.

"…What do you know of the chaos emeralds?" Lalo asked.

"You're joking right?" said Shadow. "I probably know more about them then anyone on the planet."

"Shad here has lived a while, he's seen the chaos emeralds in action." said Sofia. "In fact he once fought Sonic the hedgehog."

"Enough about Sonic please." said Shadow. "Could we just carry on with what we were doing?"

"Dude, you're SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG." said Lalo. "Don't you think we'd naturally have questions?"

"I know what my name is." Shadow said with continued irritation to his voice. "And I don't have time for this can we please just get going?"

"I thought you were evil…you fought on the wrong side taking the chaos emeralds…you were the one who scarred The Great Warrior himself…you tried ripping the fabric of life itself." Lalo said calmer. "Why are you trying to help people?"

"Because I've been through a lot…nine hundred years is more then anyone can comprehend…and I've lived it." Shadow said with a stillness to his voice.

End chapter


	9. Chapter 9 “Tyson the Wanderer”

Chapter 9 "Tyson the Wanderer"

Chapter 9 "Tyson the Wanderer"

Tyson was on his way to a newer city in hopes of getting a job or two there, he'd run out of supplies and was very thirsty.

He stepped up the sloped sandbar this one was curved fitting to the side of the hill that was pointed up, like setting up beside a mountain.

There appeared to be a riot, the guards had deserted their posts and there was an uproar of screaming and yelling.

"Hmm…" was all Tyson could say, he was debating himself on whether to move along or step in risking becoming a target for a rough city that might up and blame him for whatever situation.

Tyson had been through that a lot; so many times he was fought or screamed at for nothing he'd truly done.

He'd grown up on the edge of a knife and every day was a struggle for him in particular; he could honestly say he was the most hated person on the planet.

"Well there's not much for me to do standing here." said Tyson.

With that Tyson wandered inside through the gate.

Tyson had bright red fur with black streaks in various places along his quills; he had three scratches across his arm and two other pairs along his leg and on the red spikes out in front of his head.

He had metal silver and gold belts across his chest with brass plating at his right ankle and had two silver rings around his wrists.

He had a bandage across his right eye and could only see out of the other one.

As he came closer into the town he hid behind a scrap metal fence looking and listening.

"He escaped? You can't mean that! Who was supposed to watch him?" he heard and "When did he leave?" and "That thief!"

Obviously there was some commotion of robbery in this town.

Tyson had an emblem surprisingly, it took the world a long time to pin point who was who from Blake's bloodline; and he was at least able to get a blacksmith's emblem.

He used to run a sword shop but was run out of town when they found out about him but because of that he was very skilled with swords.

But unfortunately he had sold his last blades for food and was running low on things to sell.

The two rings around his wrists were valuable but for some odd reason he felt a deep connection to them and didn't want to part with them.

His father was a good soul but was murdered as soon as the people found out about his unfortunate family name and because of that he had a natural distaste for people and cities.

If not for the food and water he would rather burn them to the ground then step inside or be near those types of people.

But really even with his tough reputation and the skills in fighting he had to learn to survive he probably wouldn't have chosen his lifestyle.

He didn't have a sadistic heart or a poisoned soul, just a natural dislike for certain folks.

"Maybe there's some food around here." He thought. "I might be able to sneak some bred."

Rosy was watching him from her window with a grin on her face; she was having a hard time with how Lalo up and disappeared.

She ran down the stairs not wearing the excited grin she normally had but a bit of a saddened smile.

Tripping through the door she ran up to him and hugged him. "Tyson!!"

Tyson looked alarmed as he heard some of the citizens turn their heads and whisper to one another.

"Rosy?" Tyson said. "You just told them who I was."

The whispering turned into yelling and angry speaking such as. "He's Blake's flesh and blood!" and "he's the one with crimes against the people!" and "He's as bad as Blake and Eggman were! It's their fault our world's covered in fire! Let's get him!"

Tyson groaned and started running, Rosy ran after him yelling back to the crowd. "NO! He's nice! Don't try to hurt him!"

But they were not listening.

Tyson saw the gate being covered by people left and right, bears and hedgehogs and foxes and raccoons and others with angry faces pointed squarely at him.

"You want a fight! Come and get one!" Tyson yelled.

Suddenly one of the guards charged towards his left with a fist pointed up ready to brace his jaw.

Tyson moved up behind the charging guard and whacked him on the backside where the armor was missing and laid a punch to his chest.

The guard fell to the floor and Tyson saw himself faced with twenty or more enemies at once.

Dodging them as if he knew their every move he went left and ducked and slid under two of them then hit the side of one of them and used a guard to trip one of them.

It was perfectly timed and all at once the guards were on the ground whimpering in panic and the crowd got louder and angrier.

Rosy was afraid for Tyson, he'd dodged a great many of them but there were still more people coming up about to sneak up on him.

Tyson got struck on the side as more guards prepared to bind his hands.

Rosy saw one of them in front of her and took his sword from his sheathe tossing it to Tyson yelling: "Catch it!"

He in an Instant raised his hand to catch the sword but it flew passed his hand landing in a place in the dirt.

End chapter


	10. Chapter 10 “Four against One”

Chapter 9 "Tyson the Wanderer"

Chapter 10 "Four against One"

A soldier pushed him back. "Fighting! I knew you were a Streak!"

This town was obviously not a friendly one, some of the people were on the fence and were not happy about the soldiers becoming more and more ruthless towards strangers but as of now there wasn't much to do about it.

Tyson was whacked in the face with a fist; his right side breeched feeling the burn of friction from the punch.

Something raised Tyson on his feet; the crowd couldn't believe their eyes as Tyson shook it off as if not having been punched at all.

The guard was strong too; this was a muscular individual who'd used his full strength on him; it was like being bit by a truck.

Tyson rolled underneath the guard just avoiding his reaction then he grabbed the sword on the other side of him quickly.

Now Tyson was armed. "You're going to let me leave, and you're not going to follow me!"

The guards were unimpressed since most of them were strong; with swords of their own and now at the point of using them.

Four of them pulled out swords at once ready to meet Tyson's single blade.

"HEY! THAT'S NOT FAIR! IT'S FOUR AGAINST ONE!" Rosy yelled.

Tyson defected the strike with his blade but the speed of the blade was so fast it flew sparks.

"Stop it!" Tyson yelled. "I don't want to hurt any of you!"

The guards started laughing. "Like you're the ones about to hurt US."

Tyson was forced backwards and his eyes darted back and forth checking the surrounding area.

He was pushed up to the side of a building and he smiled realizing the way he'd get ahead.

He jumped planting his feet firmly into the side of the building jolting back with the momentum and dashing frontward with his sword.

He'd just used the building to propel him into the guard's general direction.

Four of them fell unarmed and surprised and the other soldiers who had not been beaten were rethinking things.

Tyson took the long scrap-metal sword and put it through one of his metal belts. "Thanks for the sword."

The crowd started backing up intimidated by Tyson's amazing agility.

Rosy followed behind him much to his surprise he didn't bother to ask her why she was, figuring she was just using him for protection to leave.

Both of them left through the gate onto the sandy surface of the sandbar and up to the land bridge with no moisture in the ground.

"So much for getting water." Tyson said.

"Tyson I knew you were a great fighter but that was just amazing." said Rosy.

"Is that the reason you're following me?" Tyson said stopping to sit.

Tyson put himself on a rock for some time to recharge.

He was tired as it was and after a fight like that he was about ready to fall over.

"I'm not following you I…I just don't want to stay in that city." Rosy said with worry in her voice. "They took Lalo and they're saying he escaped, Lalo would never try escaping and if he did I don't see how he got away."

"He got away didn't he? Shouldn't that be the only thing to waste your time thinking about?" Tyson said simply.

"Well…Tyson's a theft…I just found out." said Rosy.

Tyson looked surprised Rosy didn't know that.

"Rosy Lalo's the best theft there is, it doesn't matter in this world anyway." Tyson said.

"I know but…it's wrong and he didn't tell Me." said Rosy looking the other way.

"Probably because he'd figure you wouldn't understand." Tyson said laying back on the rock. "You're young and you've always had others providing for you, think about it without him you might never have loved this long."

Rosy looked lost in thought after hearing that, she'd never thought about it that way. "It's still wrong…I hate the stealing it's evil and dishonest."

"Right or wrong it's done, it's in the past just yell at him for it then leave him alone." said Tyson.

"At least you don't have a moving target on your back; every city on the planet knows what I look like." Tyson thought to himself.

Rosy was nervous. "Tyson? Can you help me find Lalo? I'm worried about him."

"Rosy he's probably miles away by now and even if we could catch him, if he left he knew he was leaving you behind." Tyson said bluntly.

Rosy looked at him with deep eyes wishing he would change his mind.

Tyson got on his feet. "Listen, there's a town around here I think. It's a small one but you might be able to sell something or at least get some sleep near the gate. I'll take you as far as there."

End chapter


	11. Chapter 11 “After They Left”

Chapter 11 "After They Left"

Chapter 11 "After They Left"

Shadow stood on the base of the curved small sandbar, the city seemed angry about something but as of now everybody had other things on their minds.

Shadow the hedgehog was known all overt the world, it was understandable why he would want to keep his identity a secret.

But what confused Lalo the most was why on earth would he try helping people, it didn't seem like the Shadow from the legends, could Shadow have changed? As of now it was questionable.

"Lalo leave Shadow alone alright." said Sofia. "Can we just continue as if this had never happened?"

"Not really considering he's half the reason this planet was doomed in the first place." said Lalo. "G.U.N should have hunted you down for what you did!"

"You have no idea what I've been through so don't pretend like you have." said Shadow. "Don't look for a fight because it would be unwise."

"What are you going to do? Chaos Blast me!" Lalo shouted.

Shadow snarled. "Don't tempt me!"

Sofia stood in the middle of them. "Stop fighting, lets focus on finding this Tyson before anything happens."

"Why are you so concerned about Tyson? So what if he's blamed by everyone, do you honestly think meeting up with him can change that?" Lalo said turning his head.

"That's not the only reason we need to find him." said Sofia.

"Then Shadow here can just Chaos Control you there!" Lalo said. "Why on earth do you need to get there on foot? And how can you trust him in the first place?!"

Shadow pushed Lalo out of the way ignoring him standing a far distance from them simply thinking.

Sofia looked afraid of something.

"Shadow can't use Chaos Control Lalo." said Sofia.

"Why not?" Lalo said still sounding angry.

"He just can't ok! Now he saved your life! Least you could do is stop yelling at him!" Sofia said. "And why are you the one asking the questions anyway? Did you not just push LAVA out of the way? Seems to me Shadow's not the one keeping a secret."

"I just found out!" said Lalo.

"How convenient." said Sofia. "You just so happened to figure out you can abuse the energy within fire right when the monster attacked."

"I'm serious! This girl told me something about destiny and chaos emeralds." said Lalo.

"Chaos emeralds…what did you say?" Sofia said suddenly showing a look of concern overwhelmed on her face.

"Yeah." Lalo asked. "She said I'm supposed to find all seven before Iblis does."

Sofia looked scarred to death. "Iblis, as in Iblis the monster who attacked us when you moved the lava?"

"That was Iblis!" Lalo said.

"Well duh, what planet are you on?" said Sofia. "We're lucky he wasn't bigger like he was last time."

"Last time?" Lalo said. "You people are crazier then I thought! Is there anything ELSE you want to tell me?"

"Never mind, we'll be on our way anyway." Sofia said with her nose turned up.

Sofia started on her way as Shadow followed slowly behind.

Lalo didn't understand these two; first they save him and now they're angry with him after he saved them.

"Oh well…I can still find Rosy afterwards…I don't know about those two..." Lalo thought. "Though…they did save my life but they'd probably have a safer time without my help anyway."

The other thing that was puzzling him was the fact Shadow showed no signs of incredible speed; he was just as fast as everybody else.

Lalo didn't trust Shadow as far as he could throw him.

There was a sound growing louder and louder building up underneath them, suddenly the ground started to feel hot.

"Maybe I should try to move it again." Lalo thought as he starred deeply into the lava river underneath the ground they stood on.

He reached his hands out slowly and the more he tried nothing seemed to be happening.

He saw Sofia and Shadow getting further away; Shadow was limping from the burns on his side.

Lalo tried to ignore the fact they were leaving even though nothing seemed to be happening with the lava he had this feeling he should keep trying.

He raised his hands quickly and suddenly he saw sparks light the ground and get larger and as he moved his hands frontward and backwards the small fire seemed to imitate his movement.

"Hey! She was right!" Lalo said with surprise in his voice.

He moved backwards with his hands still raised and the sparks did to.

The more he did this the easier it started to get; he didn't even notice the two had left completely now.

But when Lalo tried putting the fire out by lowering his arms, the flames just rolled down and seemed to be spreading.

They took to the dry land like a fish to water and the flames were getting bigger.

Lalo gasped, he didn't expect this.

The flames started following around him faster and faster till Lalo had to retreat to running.

He ran quick looking back but when the fire caught up to him he felt like an arm had reached out and grabbed his ankle.

A fire started crawling up his ankle and up to his hands quickly, they rotated around his arm like a shield and it started feeling hot and hard unlike the previous experience with the lava.

In fact the fire had gotten so big it started covering him completely; rolled up his sleeve and even as he tried moving it was like he'd been held in place.

End chapter


	12. Chapter 12 “Circumstances”

Chapter 12 "Circumstances"

Chapter 12 "Circumstances"

The hot fire burned the side of his face, he tried moving more and more but it felt like being in the grip of somebody.

And the fire seemed to cool; like it was water and ice it was a weird feeling since as his eyes were open he could see flames and smoke rising from him.

He was standing with a fire-shield around him but it was too close for him to move.

He should not have raised his hands without knowing how to use this because as he turned his head in a struggle he saw the lava rising quickly until he saw it cover his feet and saw it rise to his ankles.

But even after the painful burn to his face the pain seemed to leave him and the scars from the burn faded away.

The lava looked as if it was fighting the fire that was surrounding him and it started to decrease back to the previous state.

"What's happening to me?" Lalo thought coughing from the smoke.

He lowered and raised his hands as soon as he felt he could move them and the fire came up and down and evaporated like they'd never been there.

Lalo was on his knees breathing like his life depended on it, coughing all the smoke out and trying to take in the awful air that his world gave; Living in this world was like living in a volcano.

When he opened his eyes he looked back at himself, he felt…different somehow like something was unusual.

"What just happened?" he said.

As he saw his hands he saw something different about his arms, they were darker in color and rougher like he'd gotten slightly stronger.

He somehow felt powerful and couldn't understand it.

He looked pretty much the same but felt much different.

"This is risky stupid and it goes against the laws of physics and everything, but nothing's made sense today so." Lalo said reaching over the edge of the cliff-like sandbar he was standing on.

He slowly came closer to touching the lava; he figured if he only dipped his fingers in it would burn them or prove that what just happened to him wasn't a dream.

And suddenly, he dunked his whole hand in by mistake…a burning feeling made him try pulling his hand out quickly but he felt like he couldn't move again and all of a sudden…steam rolled into the sky from his hand and it felt like he'd dunked his hand in water…it was cold and hot at the same time and he couldn't explain it in words.

When he pulled his hand up it glowed red yellow and orange then seemed like his normal hand once again.

"Whoa…" was the only thing he could say; He leapt to his feet in surprise and confusion. "This can't be real, the lava didn't affect me! It should have burned my whole hand off!"

Lalo looked excited as he'd ever been but right when he seemed the happiest; the grin was wiped off his face.

This could be something to make him even more of a target; he thought life was hard before if he couldn't control this ability it could turn out worse then he could imagine.

"If that fire had spread to the sandbar cities I could have pretty much caused a catastrophe." thought Lalo. "Unless I can control it, I sure wish there was a safer place to practice. Apparently I need to find some chaos emeralds and if that girl was right about the fire ability she might be right about the whole Iblis monster dooms day thing."

In the meantime:

Tyson walked slowly with Rosy following curiously behind. "I sure am glad I met up with you, I was worried the people would turn on me."

"Yeah." Was all Tyson said, he staid quiet continuing on his way.

He wasn't used to people around being alone was more his comfort so having talkative Rosy wasn't what he was used to.

"So…cool sword huh?" Rosy said trying to make conversation by pointing to Tyson's new scrap metal sword.

The red hedgehog fixed the bandage around his right eye so it would feel more comfortable. "Yeah I suppose."

"You used to know a lot about swords didn't you?" Rosy asked innocently.

"Yeah, still do." Tyson said quietly and distantly. "My father used to say 'your sword is your soul, can't go anywhere without it.'"

"That's a clever," Rosy giggled. "What ever happened to your old sword?"

Tyson just staid quiet clearly ignoring the question with a sad look in his eye.

So Rosy changed the subject.

"Your father was a smart man I can tell, all I can remember about my family was the stories they used to tell." Rosy said with seriousness to her voice. "You wouldn't believe how my mom used to speak about the heroes of old, the chaos emeralds were my favorite subject so I'd hear about them every night. My mother used to tell me about a time where the world was green and wonderful, and that the stories passed down were because of my family's determination for them to be remembered."

Rosy all of a sudden realized this was a sore subject for Tyson. "Oh but I never cared of the negative side of the stories of course."

Tyson continued walking without turning his head as he spoke, keeping his eye out in front of him. "You can go ahead and mention Blake I don't mind I've been hearing about him my whole life anyway."

"It's not really your fault though." Rosy said.

"Doesn't matter to me, all that does matter to me seems to be a distant memory anyway." Tyson said with deepness in his tone. "Blake or no Blake I'm not going to let anything stop me from living my life."

"I wish Lalo saw it that way, he's so sarcastic and nervous." said Rosy. "He always thought the world was against him."

Tyson scoffed, hinting he knew exactly what she was talking about, friendlily.

"Oh errrr sorry, I say the wrong things at the wrong times." Rosy said shrugging her shoulders. "I just wish Lalo would change the way he sees things."

"You can't change a person." Tyson said wisely. "Only time and circumstances can do that."

"Well we've had plenty of those." Rosy said skipping along. "Hope one of these days he wakes up."

"Where is Lalo anyway Rosy? You two are almost always around each other." Tyson said.

"I don't know…" Rosy said sadly. "I wish I did…"

End chapter


	13. Chapter 13 “Big Arguments”

Chapter 13 "Big Arguments"

Chapter 13 "Big Arguments"

Shadow and Sofia continued on their way through the slopes and rough ground shown about them.

Sofia was beginning to regret leaving Lalo; for some odd reason she felt a connection to him like she knew something was bothering him.

"Shadow can we go back?" Sofia asked.

"You go back if you want; all I care about is retrieving the chaos emeralds." said Shadow.

"But what about Tyson? What if this guy doesn't have any emeralds like we'd been told?" Sofia asked.

"Then I'll continue looking, you and I both know if they fall into the wrong hands anybody still alive will be engulfed in lava…if Iblis finds them." Shadow said. "They'll all be a lot safer if I get the emeralds."

Sofia bit her lip still wanting to go back.

"Have you ever seen anybody move lava like that before?" she asked.

"…no, I've seen fires created out of nothing; but never lava manipulation." Shadow said not turning to talk.

"Getting off that subject…if he does have the chaos emerald like you said, do you think it's possible to control their power?" Sofia asked.

Shadow chuckled quietly. "Believe me I think I can handle it."

"Even after…?" Sofia said trying not to pry into Shadow's life more then need.

Shadow ignored the question.

He had been moving along the planet place to place a lot like Lalo only Shadow never resorted to theft or anything like that.

Nobody understood how Shadow managed to survive all this time but he did all the same, the hedgehog carrying knowledge of centuries and storing years and years of information.

Something was different about him from first landing on Blake's planet; he understood a lot more and probably knew every type of combat known to life and had a lot more respect for life then at first; although he still hated pointless conversation.

He knew all about the chaos emeralds and knew exactly what they were capable of and had an iron-will to retrieve them before anyone else did; In fact he knew Iblis was going after them before Lalo was told by Tikal.

Sofia was very curious about him but Shadow was not one to talk, after all Sofia was very blunt and said whatever was on her mind without thinking and Shadow was not much of a conservationist.

She went along helping him much to his annoyance but a companion comes in handy when you take a bad step and could slip and not climb up, before the lava got you, which was a lot of the case what could happen.

Not to mention the awful toxic fumed that sometimes shot up in your face if you weren't careful and the intense heat, it was not a nice place to live.

In the shadow of their conversation another presence loomed over them.

A fox stood tall against the base of a mountain with Lava zooming around it, the rough ground was so unimaginably hard nobody would think of building a city on it.

Despite that there she stood, tall and devious with a smirk on her face.

"Well well well, looks like I'm not the only one from the gang that's still alive." She said curiously watching Shadow and Sofia.

The fox had glowing green eyes so bright you couldn't see her pupils; she looked teenager-like with a short shirt on with a gold belt across it.

The shirt had green flames patterned on it a lot like her tail which had an emerald shaped into it.

She had a watch with solid gold rings on and dark red fur.

"Has it been nine hundred years already?" Anna said. "My how time had flown by."

She jumped off the cliff and stood on the ledge underneath it.

"I can't believe the power of the chaos emeralds allowed me to live so long." She said aloud. "And they must still exist or Shadow would not be looking for them, he knows something…"

A light shown through her gloves, a weird scary green glow.

Anna had a lot happen to her in her life; she along with Shadow had witnessed the world fall to the lava and had seen the legends first hand.

By a lucky stroke of fate she wasn't erased from time, she was Angie's daughter but showed no signs of having any regard for life or kindness like Angie gained; she was very bitter with the world.

"All this time I stood in the shadows, I think it's about time they see I'm still alive." Anna said loudly with an evil looking smile on her face.

Something was different about her, she seemed to have a much meaner approach then she did long ago and every moment was tension-filled.

Meanwhile Lao was still on the move; every time he moved on he felt this odd feeling like the world's fate was in his hands.

He didn't like the feeling, he'd been careful his whole life not to get involved in anything and now all these strange things were happening to him and he couldn't understand why.

Still now he had this powerful ability and if he could control it he might have found a way to make a safer life for himself.

"If the lava didn't affect my hand, maybe I can see if it affects my person." Lalo thought.

He stretched over the cliff and sunk his feet down in hope he would not get burned.

But as he moved his foot something amazing happened…the lava moved.

He saw clear soil down underneath his feet with lava spread around it, like a shield of some kind or an invisible barrier moved a small area for him to stand.

"AMAZING!" Lalo said with enthusiasm.

He stood on the ground firmly and as his hands were raised to be careful getting down, the lava reacted to his hand movements.

Lalo couldn't believe it; to his every whim the lava would move different directions.

He was more careful this time though; a few moments ago he could have set the whole place on fire.

But something caught his attention through all the excitement. "Rosy!"

Rosy and Tyson were making their way about and they were walking the path nearest him.

Lalo pulled himself back on to the sandbar happy to see her again.

As he got up the lava returned to its original state.

The eager fox ran as fast as he could to them and Rosy reacted in surprise.

"Lalo?!" she said.

Lalo stood in front of the two and Lalo ran up to her.

But right as he was about to happily hug her and right before he had even placed a finger on her she backed away.

"Lalo I don't want to speak to you!" Rosy said turning her back on him.

Lalo suddenly realized he'd put her through a lot…his eyes sunk in an instant.

Tyson stood there with little concern.

Rosy had a sad look in her eyes. "You…you just lied to me and when you broke out of jail you didn't even get me? Lalo what is wrong with you! You didn't even think to get me when you left! Or if you didn't want me around…you could have said goodbye."

Lalo scratched his head. "Rosy I didn't mean to lie to you…I just didn't know how you'd react to my stealing, don't you think I know it's wrong too?"

"Then why steal at all!" Rosy said.

"I did what I had to! I'm a kid with no emblem! What was I supposed to do?"

Rosy rubbed her eyes. "Why do you think you never got a mark on your hand? Cause you never waited around to get one, because you stole in the first place."

Lalo rubbed his face. "Rosy you don't understand, I didn't ask you to come with me, I explained to you that it would be better for you to leave and not follow me around, it was your choice to tag along with me and I tried the best I could to survive."

Tyson sighed. "Will you two stop fighting; you're giving me a headache. Settle your problems a different way then laying blame."

Tyson checked his blade then prepared to leave.

A few moments went by of silence, neither one knew what to say to each other…

End chapter


	14. Chapter 14 “Suppressed Memories”

Chapter 14 "Suppressed Memories"

Chapter 14 "Suppressed Memories"

It was now three in the morning, Rosy had just turned to go to sleep ignoring the silent moments that followed since their argument.

Tyson was going to leave but the lava had moved in his path again so he had to sleep near by.

Lalo laid on his side regretting every moment he snapped at Rosy but being too stubborn to apologize.

Sometimes people just were not capable of being reasonable.

Tyson's eye was hurting, he'd rubbed it many times but it was still uncomfortable; only being able to see out of one eye.

Rosy's eyes dropped slowly and she began dreaming.

She saw a vision of the past in her dream both good and bad but something was bothering her.

A sudden remembrance was overshadowing her mind:

"Hey! Girl!" Lalo had yelled.

Rosy was in the middle of a fiery lake on a stump of ground, moving as much upward as she could.

Behind her was a village being consumed, the ground crumbling from underneath it a sad sound following until it got silent.

Rosy covered her ears closing her eyes and panicking.

Lalo stood across from her calling for her, his feet were firmly planted into a stable ground but the lake was blocking Rosy and his way.

Suddenly without thinking Lalo ran through the lake not even stopping to look down, lava circled him.

And Rosy suddenly looked up and saw it, an amazing sight she couldn't believe she'd forgotten; Lalo separating the fiery stream without touching it.

When he got close enough to her he picked her up; her feet sunk down over his arms with her head resting at his chest holing on for dear life.

As he ran back the fiery waters moved again, separated from the flow and when Lalo got to the other side he saw Rosy dying before him.

"No not like this." Lalo pleaded. "I just got her over here."

He pushed against her side and tried to get her to breathe in and out but Rosy was having a tough time of it.

Until she suddenly started chocking and coughing and eventually, breathing.

Lalo sighed as he wiped the sweat from his brow and Rosy looked up at him.

"You saved me. "Rosy said happily but faintly.

Lalo found himself looking backwards at the lava that was no longer separated and realized he hadn't looked down once, he'd run straight into it without thinking and didn't know how it was he survived.

Lalo had not even seen the way he moved the flames and manipulated it, only Rosy knew this.

"Rosy…?" Lalo said as he saw Rosy waking up.

She rubbed her eyes, had that all been a dream?

There were suppressed memories because of the way her city had died and how she had lost them all so suddenly and at such a young age; but it all started coming back to her now.

Rosy felt more compassionate to Lalo this morning, he looked like he'd stayed up the whole night thinking.

His fur was messy and his eyes were red and watery.

"Rosy I know what I've been doing is wrong…but what can I do now that I've already done it?" Lalo said.

Tyson darted an eye quietly eavesdropping on the other side as his hands were keeping his head up.

And Rosy rose to her knees looking at Lalo who had the saddest expression on his face.

"You have to realize I did that so you wouldn't have to worry about things like that…" Lalo said. "But you're right…that doesn't make it right."

The young girl showed a sign of maturity, she understood the seriousness of the situation.

"I guess all that's left now is to, move on." Rosy said sweetly. "But promise me you'll never steal again."

Lalo suddenly wore a smile nodding his head. "I promise Rosy."

Tyson rolled his eyes being sickened a little; turning on his side to continue sleeping.

End chapter


	15. Chapter 15 “Stories of the Past”

Chapter 15 "Stories of the Past"

Lalo had gone back to sleep after the relief of Rosy's forgiveness but the other two were restless.

Tyson had lost eyes and Rosy noticed this, or eye since his other was covered by the bandage.

Rosy scooted closer to the hedgehog that was turned on the opposite side, feeling the roughness of the ground and having a hard time tolerating it.

"Tyson?" Rosy said in almost a whisper.

Tyson grunted sounding half asleep. "What?"

Rosy half smiled feeling a strange tension; almost uncomfortable speaking to him. "I just wanted to thank you for escorting me out of the city; I was worried they'd turn my eyes on me."

Tyson gave a short quiet tired laugh. "Yeah people could be friendlier to 'legendaries' huh."

"I'm sorry to bring the topic up again but I'm so very curious…do you know possibly what legend that might be connected to my family line? I've been trying to trace it and all I can distinguish from the stories I've heard are the two of which I know I am connected to." Rosy said innocently.

"You're asking me to tell you my version of the legends?" Tyson rolled over to her side.

An awkward half a minute went by as Rosy thought over the best way to answer.

"Well, yeah." she said simply.

"Tyson you're the descendant of both a terrible and strong line and you have been able to avoid many things over the course of your life." she tried to sound wise as she knew Tyson was a more serious person. "I've often wondered, since you and everybody else were able to trace your line you must know so many stories of the olden days before the land was lit with fire…"

"You sound a lot older then your age Rosy." Tyson said.

"I suppose I'm speaking a lot like my mother did, I feel close to her when I talk about the olden days." She smiled.

Another quiet moment passed between the two…Tyson was not used to company or speaking to anybody really; so he needed the time to think.

"My Father once told me this story when I was growing up." Tyson said deeply, his eye and voice full of feeling, something he hadn't told anybody before.

"I can only use the words he used, if I can remember them. Well; once the world was green and good and full of life but in the mists of it all loomed a conqueror, black but strong-willed down to his every word. He started with villages and combed through the world like it was his open canvas, painting red streaks on buildings of black and training soldiers who knew deep inside what they were doing was wrong." Tyson started.

Rosy hung on his every word, he sounded like he'd been there himself.

"Many years went by and the people of the world had lost hope, something they never expected came upon the world." Tyson said clearing his throat in the middle. "There stood five people, all hedgehogs with a very different purpose, led by a scarred being known to the people as 'The Great Warrior' however all believed it only to be a rumor of one Blake spoke about in his darkest moments. They never thought the 'Kingly Being' was real until they saw him. As time went by The Conqueror became obsessed with him, wanting to rid him and the hope he could be brought out of existence, till the faithful day where a great battle commenced. Soldiers fell down left and right at the hand of The Great Warrior and the two came face to face and realized something; each being of the same line and the same blood, but each had chosen their own separate paths. The Conqueror was The Great Warrior's father all along and the irony of it all was even with the chance the King couldn't take him down."

Rosy's eyes widened with fascination.

"What happened to them?" She asked.

"Lets see if I can remember, this is a long story, oh yeah; the king was so devastated by his lack of strength that he cast himself from his thrown and as the years passed by he consumed himself in anger and the next time the two met he felt great guilt in the depths of his cold heart, but shut it out and something happened, nobody knows what it was that finally made The Great Warrior snap and loose control and what let his anger take him those moments…but the King never died, it was said he'd been sealed in suspended animation by a former soldier or it could very well have been The Warrior, but because of that fight and the King's final silence the world was bestowed in goodness once more, and happiness spread throughout the land."

Tyson shrugged. "That was the story my father told me, The Great Warrior is Spike the hedgehog, The King was named Blake, their last name was Streak and every descendant had at least one son to carry on the line…and I guess I'm the last one now…"

"That's a lovely story Tyson; if ever the facts were straight it's because of you, I wish more people knew your version of the story. I've heard only negative stories and none of them ending like that." Rosy felt nervous but smiled. "Just because you're the descendent of a tyrant does not make you one."

Tyson half smiled and turned on his side again feeling odd.

"….Thanks." he said with a bit of cheeriness even as the tiredness of his voice took hold of him.

As the few hours of night rose into the sky the two drifted off for the small amount of sleep.

End chapter


	16. Chapter 16 “Anna’s Motives”

Chapter 16 "Anna's Motives"

"Anna?" a male voice spoke.

The red fox turned her head back from where she stood, looking into the eyes of her friend.

"You wouldn't dare speak to me unless you have news from the cities, so you'd better hope you do." Anna said, smiling deviously.

The nervous looking raccoon bobbed his head obediently.

"Please don't kill the messenger me' lady." he said, playing with his tail. "If you don't mind my saying, using the people's desperation is a smart approach; they'll do anything you say if you promise them you'll rid them of the Monster."

"Foolish Max, trying vanity on me." Anna said with an almost scary laugh at the end of her sentence. "Anyway it won't matter if I deliver or not, the ten years I dedicated to earning their trust will pay off, they'll pay and give me anything I want."

"So this means, you're to use their trust against them? Is that why you staid so long in the same city?" the black and white raccoon asked with a curious expression.

"You're certainly a sly one aren't you." she said rolling her eyes and putting her hands on her hips with a glaring smile. "Duh, I needed a mark, and I'm obviously not a teenager literately, I'm at least nine-hundred years old; I just like this look best. Anyway, I'll soon have the chaos emeralds and do away with Iblis, he's had his hands on this planet for far too long, and it's time for somebody else to have a turn."

"If that's the case why do you trust me with this information? Am I your favorite?" Max said with a sweet expression on his face cupping his hands.

Anna giggled, amused.

"Well, second favorite Max, Leo was a little more intelligent." she said. "But out of the various ones I've worked with, you're certainly the most amusing."

Max smiled, taking it as a compliment.

Anna had clearly used her long time living, not just in choosing different accomplices, (As Max was her new partner.) but she thought a lot more for herself now, she never had to eat or drink so she lived a lot longer, and never had the problems that normal people did.

She was cruller too, more cocky and girlish as well.

Blake was no longer who she worked for, so she had ambitions of her own, certainly not in the people's best interest, though she made him think that.

"Why do you want this planet, me' Lady? I thought you said they were all insignificant?" Max said with his half smile, bobbing his head a lot.

"Some want words for power, some for money, some for their name being remembered, not me however." Anna said.

"Then what may I ask do you want it for?" Max said.

Anna laughed and turned her greenish eyes his way. "The only thing I cared about, long ago, was being accepted for who I was, for a long while I felt accepted, My mother seemed to understand what was tugging on my leash, what power was controlling me in a respect, who I was, what I was, what I am. However that lasted only until I crossed the line, took the life of my father by mistake, nothing I could do about it, the negative energy from my tail affected him and he didn't make it. So I was tossed out, shunned from my home and the only family I knew. Then I realized there was nothing to hold me back, I could be who I am, and not have to worry about her acceptance."

"I like you for who you are." Max said scooting slightly closer to her on the rock they were now sitting on.

"Are you hitting on me?" Anna said with an odd smile. "I wouldn't get too attached to me Max, especially for that reason."

"Soon it won't matter though." said Anna. "You know how I mentioned what other rulers wanted? Well for me, I want them to see truly how insignificant they are, pathetic, replaced easily, and desperate. I've watched the seas of time unfold and it's always the same, pathetic, none that have ever caught my interest aside from the ones I deem worthy to even speak to me, you're a lucky one Max, you'll be spared the fate I have planned for them, you'll be spared when I unleash the full potential of my power, the chaos emeralds' power, negativity, the true ruler."

"Then you plan to destroy them?" Max said.

"Oh course." she turned her head at him, thinking he already should have known that. "I'll finish the job Iblis started, after I destroy him of course, maybe if I find any of them interesting I'll keep them alive, life would be boring without a challenge. as for now the only ones I'm thinking of leaving alive, are, you, myself of course, and maybe, now that I see he's alive, I'll spare Shadow. He's got a way about him that seems like a lot of fun for me, a lot of fun to fight. he's got a long life as I do, so it will be just as fun to have somebody knowing me for who I am, and despising me for it."

"Why me of all people me' Lady?" Max asked, a bit shook up by all of this.

Anna ran her fingers through her bangs. "Cause you're like an ignorant puppy dog, you too amuse to me. I love entertainment, and so long as you provide that for me, I will let to live."

Her eyes seemed to glow a darker shade of green at that moment, it was very clear, she was serious about what she was saying.

End chapter


	17. Chapter 17 “The Storm”

Chapter 17 "The Storm"

Lalo was asleep before a loud noise aroused him.

Rosy hugged him with terrified eyes.

"What's going on?!" Lalo said.

He didn't understand what all the screaming was about until he looked up in the sky.

"There's a storm coming." Tyson said with his strong voice. "We need to find shelter."

Brave in the face of danger, Tyson led the way.

Rain was dripping violently into the lava lake and obliterating the second each drop met it.

The clouds were wrestling up above, swirling, striking lightning in either direction.

Rosy's eyes were closed as she held tightly onto his arm when they started running.

"Lalo I'm scared." Rosy said.

"Don't worry Rosy, I'll protect you." Lalo said, sounding afraid himself.

"Hurry you two! The path might turn into mud in a second! We need a more stable ground!" Tyson said, shouting over the sound of the storm.

The three of them ran as quickly as they could, Rosy not letting go for a second.

Tyson was stepping on the loosest ground, putting his life at risk by being in front where he could sink into the mud or trip into the lava at any second.

Everywhere around them, spots of what used to be stable ground were sinking, the dirt meshing with the water and the lava ready to engulf it on its way down.

Hot steam rose into the air from the hot-on-cold effect, and the rain and sudden darkness was overwhelming.

Rosy screamed and Lalo checked where her eye line was headed.

Tyson's ground was slowly slipping away from him.

Tyson let out the most terrifying scream he'd ever made his whole life, his bronze leg was being engulfed in the lava, and though he didn't feel the immediate pain since it was an artificial leg, the heat from the lava was melting the bronze exterior.

"Lalo help him!" Rosy shouted, pushing him frontward.

"But I don't know how.' Lalo said.

Rosy's young eyes were watering in distress. "Please Lalo! Please help him!"

Lalo didn't know what it was he could do to help Tyson, who was trying not to be pulled any further under, climbing up the step of ground.

Lalo knew he had to think quickly.

Drawing a deep breath, he started walking straight into the lava without hesitation.

He hoped that the ability he supposedly got was working…since he didn't feel any pain at all and he wasn't burned or harmed, he was in luck.

The flame manipulation ability was working.

Slowly the fiery current began separating from him, the steam was hurting his eyes though, and his ability couldn't stop that danger.

Tyson couldn't believe it, if not for the pain he was in Tyson would have had Lalo's full attention.

"Grab my hand!" Lalo said hastily.

Tyson immediately took Lalo's hand and they walked back, since the lava was separated, the two of them found they were walking down a great deal, in fact it was a different danger all together, it soon became a mountain's length down instead of a few feet where the lava was shallower in some spaces.

Tyson's foot was still burning, and the bronze plating had completely melted down so he was relying on Lalo for support.

End chapter


	18. Chapter 18 “The Burn”

Chapter 18 "The Burn"

All in the blink of an eye the storm started stopping slowly, almost affected by the steam in the air, the clouds moved away to dump the water elsewhere.

It would make no sense to anybody living on our world, but on Blake's planet, the weather was the most mysteries thing there was.

Not being swallowed by the lava, Lalo had saved Tyson's life, and the three of them took refuge on a stump of ground Rosy was laying on, crying in fear.

Tyson was grunting and wailing from the pain in his leg until he slipped out of consciousness…

It was a scary night that night, they waited till the tide would shift itself in some hope Iblis would take its eternal flames elsewhere instead of torturing anyone he could.

after the storm was over…it all got calm, and when Tyson's leg quit burning, he saw his ankle that was still there, even after previously using the metal plating to walk, well, it was burned worse then he'd ever seen, and it would not be long before he lost the entire leg, if not his life.

"Tyson! Are you alright?!" Rosy said.

"Thank you Lalo, you saved my life." Tyson said, still clutching on to his leg, his eyes watering from the intense stinging sensation.

Lalo looked at his hands, then back at the area in which Tyson was standing, that was now consumed by the lava.

The tides had shifted so there was a small stable path in front of them, and a small pool of water lay there.

"Lalo…if it's true you can manipulate fire, would you please heat up that water? Get rid of the germs with the heat." Rosy said.

"I…I don't know, I could try…" Lalo said.

"Please do, we can't possibly make it back to the city and take of their water in time, and I don't want to live this long to have my friends die of thrust." Rosy said.

"It's risky…I haven't really been able to do it and still be able to control it, but I'll try." Lalo said.

Lalo stretched out his hands and closed his eyes, doubting himself a little in the process, but trying all he could to please Rosy.

A small flame lit…then it began to grow.

The water started to heat up, but some of it was evaporating quickly, there did seem a good amount there though, even if it was muddy and unsanitary.

Rosy scrambled to it, trying to gather a little in her cupped hands.

"Ouch!" Rosy said.

Lalo took a look at her hand. "Are you stupid Rosy? You put your hands into hot water!"

After that, Rosy looked at him, and Lalo did not remember it before.

Her eyes were pure, and her expression was innocent.

Then he realized he was holding her hand, and felt uncomfortable about it.

After a few seconds his eyes widened as he heard her scream out of the blue.

She held her hand close to her chest weeping.

"Rosy what's wrong?!" Lalo said.

He then looked down at his hands again, and he noticed one of his gloves was being filed off, like he was generating heat.

"Did…did I burn you…?" Lalo said.

"I think you did!" she said through her tears, not able to handle the pain.

Lalo looked very guilt about burning her, and kept begging for her forgiveness, but by the time she'd finished crying, she looked….almost afraid of him.

"I've heard of this before." Tyson said, Lalo turned his head back to him.

You could tell from looking at him that Tyson was used to pain, he hardly flinched or as much as showed he was harmed now.

"It was in one of the stories my father once told me." Tyson said. "Nobody knew more about the legends then he did…but there was somebody who used the ability you can."

Rosy tried to stop crying. "Calm down Rosy, it's just a burn, you can't cry over pain because pain in something you run into a lot on this planet."

"Why didn't you tell me you knew about people like me?" said Lalo.

"People like you? You really don't pay any attention to the legends do you?" said Tyson.

"I don't believe in those fairy tales." Lalo said.

"Then how do you explain your abilities? A little while ago you seemed fascinated by them, now you don't care, seems to me they're only interesting when they involve your life." Tyson said, quite bitter in tone. "You're still a child aren't you Lalo? You don't stand on firm ground, you move between them."

"Shut up!" said Lalo.

"Don't blame me for seeing things how they are, I always have, always will." Tyson said. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate your saving my life and all, but you're stomping on something you don't understand."

"Then tell me what you know, let me judge for myself, I don't know enough to know what to believe, you owe me that." Lalo said, somewhat calmer.

"Well, as I said before, my father told me all about the legends, it was the only hope he had, thinking maybe one day somebody would come along and save the world again, even if it seemed hopeless. but about where I'd heard about, somebody who could burn people with any sort of contact, it's in the one in the legends who was called 'Flame' and it was on of his two sons who got more advanced powers, though he, in return for his great power, was said to have lost the privilege of touch. His younger brother had no abilities of any kind, but had a few girls and a son, but nobody has been able to pinpoint his descendant and assumed nobody would ever manifest the ability since the brother with the power died a boy, challenged to his last fight." said Tyson. "Until now, I thought my father's story was pointless."

"Deep down I always knew it…maybe that's why I resented the legends so much…" Lalo thought to himself, wanting to change the subject of his family line.

"Do you know who killed the brother?" he asked.

"The one the legends call 'The Green Light' who is supposedly destruction and the negative impact of the chaos emeralds." said Tyson. "But if what I'm saying is true…that means you're not only a descendant o Flame, but you have the same ability his son did."

Rosy's eyes lowered, looking saddened. "So that's why you burned me, you generate heat and…can never touch again, ever hug, nothing."

"more or less, I suppose that means his abilities have fully developed, either that or you had the flame ability before and never knew it and you suddenly got the power to burn who you touch." said Tyson.

"Then why didn't you get burned when he saved you?" Rosy said.

"I suppose it must have just now started, heh, guess for the first time in my life I ran into a bit of luck." said Tyson, and then grunting for the first time in a long conversation.

Rosy cupped the water; it was warm because of the heat in the air, but a lot cooler then before.

She applied it to his leg.

"You're foolish to hold in your pain, your wound won't get any better." said Rosy, then looking over at Lalo. "We need to get him some help."

"Yeah right, the people have wanted me to drop dead for such a long time, why would they help me now?" Tyson said.

End chapter


	19. Chapter 19 “Three Years Earlier”

Chapter 19 "Three Years Earlier"

There was fog out today…

Tyson felt a chill down in his bones, the fog was something he found terrifying, he didn't know why, but with vision as bad as it was already, he found when he couldn't see that it frightened him.

He was facing the front gate of a city; it was large in size and complex in style.

"The Western Gate…" Tyson said, looking in awe.

The guards were eying him strangely.

At this time Tyson was younger, he wore a sword through his belt with his bandage still covering his right eye.

He looked with an uneasy expression, almost sadly, and stepped up to the guard.

"May I enter?" Tyson said.

The guards grunted, he looked familiar to them and on top of that there was a foul smell to the air that made you unpleasant to be a guard.

"We know you?" the guard asked.

The guard was strong in form and look; he wore old metal armor with a club at his side and a hammer in his hand.

Tyson sighed. "Just check my hand if you want proof I'm not a theft."

The guard took out Tyson's hand, and slowly removed his glove.

There was the emblem of the western side, a hammer on an anvil; and under it was a striped scar over a sword that had to relation to the western emblem, it signified his profession which was unusual.

"You're a blacksmith's son?" the guard said.

"Yeah…" Tyson said distantly.

"Alright then, your story checks out." the guard said. "Open the gate."

Slowly the doors swung open, the reflection from the fiery river on the metal, making it glow.

The metal was constantly cooled by fans and other ways of keeping it from melting, the fog was actually helping them.

The weary hedgehog stepped through, walking by the townspeople, his two feet pressing into the rough ground. (He did not have a bronze leg yet.)

There in the city was a large assembly of business buildings, the streets were full of blacksmith shops and supply centers and there was a cave at the end of the city that was heavily guarded.

Tyson stepped slowly by, putting one foot in front of the other till he approached one of the blacksmith shops.

There was an old wooden sign barely hanging, the emblem was the same on Tyson's hand.

The place itself looked abandoned; there was a large metal sign across the door that read 'FORBIDDEN.'

Tyson looked to see if he was being watched, and to his delight he wasn't.

He pulled the metal sheet off the door and, looked ashamed for some reason, but entered anyway.

The room was full of old rusted swords and random shreds of broken tools; anything valuable seemed to have been stolen.

There was a string of swords overhead, all worthless for anything but scrap metal due to their shattered and half missing state.

It was dusty and damp and there was not much left, overall a very sad looking shop.

Tyson's eyes were closed and had a very calm look on his face.

He drew himself to the end of the shop and creaked open the door at the end.

The room was small…at the end of the wall were two tombstones covered in dust.

Tyson fell on his knees, setting his sword down there.

"I'm sorry father and mother…" Tyson said sadly. "I haven't been able to track down your killers…whoever did this to you left this place a long time ago…and the trail fell cold."

Tyson was very solemn and respectful, brushing off the dirt from the stones.

He was having trouble not crying at this moment, though, he felt a deep calmness there.

"I promise you, I will find the people that did this to you, even if I have to travel through every city, every patch of land, even if I have to cross the river of lava itself in a boat that sinks. I will find them." said Tyson.

At the end of his sentence, he raised to his feet, holding his fists and picking up his sword sorrowfully, leaving his father's shop.

End chapter


	20. Chapter 20 “The Pool of Water”

Chapter 20 "The Pool of Water"

Rosy looked at Tyson with her big blue eyes. "We have to try, Tyson; your entire leg's burned off!"

"My leg was gone before, Rosy, why do you think I'm not bleeding? It was an artificial leg." Tyson said, grunting a bit. "But…I will admit, the material heated up by the lava, did give me a pretty bad burn."

"Enough of the chatting, we need to make it to a city, reputation or not." Lalo said.

"The nearest city…is the one you stole from and the one with the thugs who tried attacking Tyson." said Rosy.

"No, there's a smaller town just north of here, but it's pretty small. I'm not well liked there either, but it was a long time since I was there, so they may have forgotten my face by now." said Tyson.

"Rosy, you're going to need to help him up, apparently I can't touch anything or anyone anymore." said Lalo.

Rosy popped down underneath Tyson's right arm and hoisted him up; Tyson's eye was squinted from the bone chilling sting of his burns.

He was heavy for her limited strength to hold, after all, Tyson was a genuinely strong guy and wore metal and gold belts; it was like lifting a dozen cinderblocks to the little fox.

"Ok, I think I have him." Rosy said.

Needless to say Tyson felt very very uncomfortable by both being helped by a little girl and having her support his weight.

He was thin and slender, but heavy to her nonetheless.

Lalo was in front this time, he didn't know weather or not his ability was still working, but the path seemed firmer to stand on as he walked down it.

Not to their knowledge, Anna was watching them.

"You see them Max?" Anna said, with a cruel look. "They're who Leo spoke of once, the ones who are going to lead me straight to the chaos emeralds."

"But me' lady, errrr, ummmm, errrr." Max stuttered. "You just told me a minute ago the chaos emeralds were destroyed long ago, were you talking about something else before? I'm confused me' lady, sounds like you contradicted yourself if you don't mind me saying."

"I do mind you saying Max, because you're wrong." she said. "I suppose I should have been clearer, oh well. Max, the chaos emeralds were destroyed, but you're leaving out the fact that copies were made, by an alternate Spike, and after the futures split apart and time messed up, and then rebuilt itself, the fake emeralds ended up here."

"Me' lady, I don't know what you mean." Max said.

Anna sighed. "That's your problem, it's not your affairs anyway, and it's my business, you're just along for the ride."

She stood up. "Alright, let's get going, I don't want to loose them."

Rosy Lalo and Tyson left in haste.

Smoke rose behind them as the lava shifted from side to side.

The area in front of them was wild with jagged rocks and shrill looking ground.

A pathway was made with a rail of stone to the side of it, but wider then usual.

There were cliffs on either side for this path was higher up and steeper, but it looked to be one used by people.

Why else would there be a stone rail?

It was crudely made, but it was solid.

The sun was dimly lit with an orange glow in the sky as they traveled.

"I hope this road ends soon." Lalo thought to himself.

As they rushed across the path they began to see something at their destination.

At the end of the road was a cleared area, about a field's length, shaped like a circle.

The ground was hard and safe looking, it looked perfect for a town, yet there was nobody around at all.

Lalo gasped in his throat.

Standing tall and magnificent was a twenty foot tall apple tree.

Its roots were thick and its leaves pure green with dew dropping off its branches, steaming as it hit the hot floor.

The apples were red and green, some ripe and some not.

Around the tree was a fence hanging off its hinges.

There was grass around the tree, flowing in the wind.

"It's beautiful." Rosy spoke out.

She gently put Tyson down, and approached the tree.

There was a pool of water to the side of it, flowing from a tall stone, glittering white and blue though the sun didn't cause it.

"Rosy, don't go near it." Lalo warned her.

Rosy looked at Lalo oddly. "Why not? There's water and food here."

"But think about it, the path had railing on it, as if it was a rich town's gate. There's a huge tree in the center of a perfect ground, like it's never been touched by lava or the heat. There are no guards around it, even if it has a huge food supply; enough to feed a whole city, there's a spring next to it flowing from a stone. This usual to you?" Lalo said.

"He's right, this is too weird, there should be people guarding this tree and maintaining it, it's rare." said Tyson.

"Well, maybe that makes us the first to find it." Rosy smiled. "We should at least get a drink of water; we never know when we'll get this opportunity again."

Rosy stepped up to it like she had no fear, slowly dipping her hand in.

But as she did this, she let out a terrifying scream.

She held her hand in pain.

"Was the water hot again?!" Lalo screeched. "Rosy, you were already burned the same way!"

"It's not water!" Rosy cried.

Tyson had one leg and nothing to support his weight, so he couldn't do much of anything, but watch in confusion.

Lalo wanted so badly to help her, but he couldn't touch others without burning them.

Rosy wouldn't stop screaming.

Finally Tyson got tired of it and limped over to her.

"Rosy stop screaming!" Tyson said, grabbing her hand.

End chapter


	21. Chapter 21 “Tree That Was Never There”

Chapter 21 "The Tree That Was Never There"

Tyson looked alarmed when seeing her left side; he looked back at the water to see, it looked cold and normal.

Rosy's hand had just burned clean off.

She was held her arm in agony; it was burned up till the top.

"That water is lava, I can tell by the way her arm was..." Tyson said.

"Rosy!" Lalo exclaimed, wanting so badly to help her.

Rosy's left arm was half gone, there were third degree burns where she still had it, the bone was gone and was very unpleasant looking.

She was worse off then Tyson was now.

"How could water do that to her?!" Lalo said, reacting in fear.

"Because it's not really water."

Everybody jerked their heads backwards, except Rosy who was still in shock.

Anna was sitting upon on a rock that hadn't been there before.

Shaped straight up; that looked like nobody in their right mind could climb.

Behind her was a very anxious looking raccoon, continually bobbing his head.

"Can you see them Anna? Are they to kill or not?" Max said. "Me' lady? Are they to kill or not?"

"Who are you?!" Lalo called out in question.

Anna fixed her bangs. "A being untouched by your silly little attachments; It's a pity you're obviously effected by meaningless relationships, a real pity, I was hoping to have a little fun with you."

Lalo looked back at Rosy, and Tyson who was trying to calm her down.

Anna slid down the pointed rock and landed two inches away from Lalo.

She put her hand in his face, and then moved him back a few feet.

"Hey! watch it!" Lalo said irritated.

Out of the blue, Anna appeared behind him.

"Did she use Chaos Control?!" Lalo said.

"How did you know about Chaos Control?" Anna laughed. "No, I didn't. I was never there in the first place."

"never there, never there me' lady wasn't." Max said, with a fast paced tone. "I knew it; she's a tricky one she is."

Anna was facing him again, and smiled deviously.

She looked into Lalo's uneasy and suspicious eyes. "My name is Anna, though I've had a hundred different names over the course of my life. I am here to destroy the weak and boring, and preserve the strong and entertaining. By the way, the tree was never there, or the pool of water, I altered the reality you see with my ability, you saw a tree and a spring, when in reality your stupid friend stuck her hand straight into lava."

"You did this to her?!" Lalo said angrily.

Lalo didn't realize it, but his fur was turning red.

"Oh, a soft spot for the girl, how touching." Anna said. "Maybe you are entertaining, either way there's not much you can do about anything, no matter where you go you can't stop Iblis, or me."

Anna snapped her fingers so suddenly, and Rosy looked amazed at her hand, that had suddenly been restored.

"Lalo…? Why do I still feel as if my hand is gone?" Rosy said, moving her other hand straight through the one restored. "It's fake! It's a trick! How wrong!"

Anna laughed. "You guys are so easy; you really thought your hand was back! I can make you see anything I want."

Tyson put his hand on Rosy's hand. "Rosy, it's alright, think of something else."

Tyson stood up barely, on one leg. "Rosy, get up, now."

He leaned on her gently. "It's all in your head; you'll live without a hand, go on, let's go back and go for the town I mentioned. I have a friend I grew up with that could help us."

Rosy tried as best she could to do what Tyson said.

"Take care of her Tyson; I'll make sure she doesn't follow you." Lalo said.

Lalo's anger was festering, and little did he know, his ability was reacting to it.

Heat started to rise from his fingers, and the lava behind Anna started to move.

As Anna lost focus, the handle over her power to trick the eye wore down, and they saw what was really there.

The tree disappeared into the lake of lava, there was no field of grass or glorious apple tree, just a thin path where Lalo Tyson and Rosy were lucky enough to have staid on.

Anna snarled at him. "Another one of you guys, I can see."

Max looked back at Anna with curious eyes.

"Go ahead, burn me, and melt me down." Anna said grabbing his arm.

Lalo burned through her glove, by simply touching her.

Anna looked as if she was in no pain, and her knuckles shone white as steam rose from her hand.

Her arm glowed green, as if the hand wasn't even there but this green energy in its stead.

When she let go of his arm, her hand glowed brighter, then reassembled itself red like it was before.

"Your fur may glow red, and you may obviously have the ability to manipulate fire," Anna said, moving back on top of the rock. "But can you stop pure chaos?"

Max hid behind the large rock holding on tightly.

There was a sudden roar and a screeching sound.

Anna stuck her hand into the sky, and a beam of white and green came forth from it, boundless energy pointed up in the sky like a bolt of lightning.

The sky turned a dark blue with a greenish glow.

"CHAOS!!!" Anna screamed.

Lalo looked around himself, but Rosy and Tyson were long gone.

He started backing up in fear, but noticed he was very close to the edge of the cliff.

"What is this? A beam of light…coming straight from her hand?" Lalo thought to himself. "What can I do? I'm just a kid, there's nothing I can do! I'm a thief, maybe I deserve this. But Rosy…she doesn't deserve this, this thing, fox or who knows what it is, could destroy who knows what."

Lalo stood firm and planted his feet in the ground, preparing for whatever was coming.

End chapter


	22. Chapter 22 “Iblis”

Chapter 22 "Iblis"

Anna's eyes glowed pure green, so you couldn't even see her pupils.

Then turned facing him, while the light continued to illuminate the sky.

"Can your power do that?" Anna said.

As Anna spoke it sounded like three other voices of hers spoke at the same time, making it sound inhuman and unnatural, like the energy ran straight through her throat.

She closed her hand, and the light stopped all together.

"WHAT ARE YOU?!" Lalo screamed. "YOU HURT ROSY! AND THEN PUT ON A FREAKING LIGHT SHOW?!"

Anna brushed her fur back.

Her voice went back to normal.

"I wanted to give you a warning not to underestimate Me." said Anna. "Also, it wasn't aimed to harm you."

Lalo looked at her with suspicion; he didn't turn his back on her.

"It was really just to call Iblis' attention to you, tootles." she said, grabbing Max by the scruff and running passed him.

Lalo was stunned by what she'd just said; his bangs flowed in the hot and unclean air.

He was about to chase after her, but he heard something that made him stop.

"ROAAAARRRRR!!!"

Lalo saw the figure of a beast forming from the lava, drawn to the chaos energy.

It had a head of fire and eyes alit with fury.

It had claws of stone with a scarred and indented torso, like it was somehow made of rock lava and ash.

Its forehead had a crystal in the center, and its teeth were sharp.

It was terrifying, once, he started to see it form, but it seemed to depart before.

Lalo cowered; it was like seeing death face to face.

"S-stay back!" Lalo stuttered.

He started moving back till his foot reached the ledge.

A few rocks were jarred loose.

He saw the earth being eaten up and destroyed as Iblis moved closer.

it wanted the chaos emeralds, and it was now apparent that all those stories about them were true, they did still exist even after all this time, even after lava engulfed the planet, the emeralds were still glowing.

Lalo saw steam rise up behind him as the rocks splashed the lava.

In his fear he could not think straight, all he could do was look into those cold dead eyes.

The silence was like a stab in the heart, and he found he couldn't speak anymore.

"Am I going to die?" Lalo thought. "Will it end like this?"

He closed his eyes, not wanting to see the monster anymore.

It was approaching slowly, as if looking him over for a sign of an emerald.

Lalo found the courage to look up, but felt like he couldn't see; only memories were flashing through his mind now.

It was torture; his life was made up of only lies and thievery, regret and sadness.

His legs were numb and wouldn't move.

Never before had anything struck fear into his heart so intensely.

The creature was now six feet away, taking one last look at him before striking.

Lalo's vision got clearer, but only enough to see the hand of his enemy, come in for a blow.

Its hand was made up of fire and lava; if it touched anything it would be destroyed.

Lalo gasped, his heart beating fast and hard, like it was trying to jump out of his body.

Its fist wound up, and struck him, hard in the chest.

But…something happened.

Normally, one swipe from this new Iblis' hand, and the enemy would burn up…but Lalo was only knocked backwards.

Lalo held on to the ledge, amazed he was still alive at all.

His hand was slipping slowly, he couldn't hang on, and…he fell.

But instead of meeting his death, he saw that the lava on the ground had departed, moved as his hands were raised up trying to hold on to the ledge.

It was a drop, and hurt his legs a little, but he was alive.

There was a pain in his chest, a strong one, but it seemed he only got the wind knocked out of him.

End chapter


	23. Chapter 23 “Nero”

Chapter 23 "Nero"

The two hedgehogs heard something from a ways away.

A loud thundering roar caught their attention.

"Did you hear that?!" Sofia exclaimed.

Shadow looked back with a distant look in his eyes.

"It sounded like Iblis." said Sofia.

"He must have found an emerald." said Shadow

"Wait…what's that?" Sofia pointed her hand out in front of her.

The sandbar they were on was thin, but out in front there looked to be a cave.

It was curved up like a sharp stone, with a small opening there.

"Blacks, would you look at that." Sofia said with glee.

Shadow sighed. "It's SHADOW, and yes, I see it."

"Should we check it out?" asked Sofia.

"Way ahead of you." Shadow said with a tolerant voice, already on his way there.

In the meantime, Rosy and Tyson found themselves at the gate of a city.

Rosy was breathing rapidly, and Tyson had trouble walking the whole time.

The city was huge; scrap metal formed its doors and its walls.

The guards there were quite surprised to see the two.

"Please help," Tyson said. "She's badly hurt, let us in."

The guards showed no remorse.

"Let me see her hand." the guard said.

Tyson was furious. "Can't you see her hand is gone?! She can't show you an emblem!"

The guard scoffed. "Then show me your hand."

Tyson and Rosy were both in a lot of pain, Rosy was in shock the whole time.

Tyson stretched out his hand, and the guard removed the glove.

The Blacksmith's emblem was there.

"All right then, go ahead." the guard said, signaling the other guards to open the gate.

Tyson rushed as fast as he could with his missing leg, using Rosy for support.

Everybody in the town was whispering, little red stains dripped on the floor from what used to be Rosy's hand.

They stopped at a house, gated with bars on its windows.

"NERO! OPEN THE DOOR!" Tyson screeched.

"Tyson? Is that you?" a hedgehog asked.

The door opened slowly, as the hedgehog peered out.

The one who answered the door was bluish in color, wearing a pair of heavy-duty goggles. (Most likely for some type of construction.)

He was wearing shorts and his gloves were made of leather.

"We need help." Rosy said in a weak voice.

"Come in come in!" the hedgehog said, helping the two of them through his door.

The townsfolk were looking at them with suspicious eyes as they entered the house.

"Holy crud Tyson, what's happened?" the hedgehog said, pulling up a chair for Rosy.

The inside of the house was filled with scrap metal, all over the floor and all messy and rusty.

There was a couch in the middle, what seemed to be the only piece of furniture besides a desk and a few chairs.

"Nero, she's hurt badly," Tyson said.

Immediately the hedgehog started addressing Rosy's wound, he seemed to know exactly what to do.

Tyson was also in pain, but he had to fend for himself since Rosy was the first priority in his mind.

Hours passed, and finally Rosy was finished being treated.

She was fast asleep on Nero's couch, a thick bandage around the area where she lost her hand.

Tyson also had bandages around his leg, but since the leg was already gone he didn't suffer half as bad as Rosy did.

Nero let out a sigh of exhaustion, and sat down on one of his chairs, pushing it up in front of where Tyson was sitting.

"Is she going to be alright?" Tyson asked, his eyes trying hard to stay awake; he was tired.

Nero nodded. "She'll be fine. But Tyson, what happened?"

"She stuck her hand into lava," said Tyson. "Her hand was burned up and she ended up loosing it, even the bone."

"Did you loose your plated leg the same way?" Nero asked.

"I fell…almost died," said Tyson.

"Well, I'm glad you survived, she's too young to know where to go for these sorts of things I'm guessing. You do realize both you and her are going to need robotic replacements if you are planning on staying in the outlands." said Nero.

"No, I've asked you for too much already old friend," Tyson said, not wanting to accept any more help.

Nero scratched his head. "Then I guess you'll owe me, there is a problem though; I'm a normal blacksmith. I've only made metal plating three times before, and even then they were not very good."

"It's all right, I know how that is, I used to be one remember?" Tyson smiled. "Besides, the leg you made me before worked fine."

"Yeah, well…I can make a plated leg, but I only know how to make battle ready arms, she doesn't really seem like the fighting type." said Nero.

"I'm sure she'll be happy to receive anything you can give her, but she's pretty sensitive, watching you attach it might be too gruesome for her to watch," said Tyson.

Nero understood what Tyson meant.

"Ok, get under her on the couch and hold her very tightly. I have one model left, meant for a rich professional fighter, but he left me holding the bag, and took off," said Nero, leaving through the back door to his house.

End chapter


	24. Chapter 24 “The Artificial Arm”

Chapter 24 "The Artificial Arm"

Rosy woke up in a panic. "What's going on?!"

"It's alright Rosy," said Tyson. "Everything's going to be fine."

Tyson was holding her down on the couch firmly.

"Tyson, explain this!" Rosy yelled.

"Sorry Rosy, I was hoping you'd be asleep during this." said Tyson.

"During what?!" said Rosy.

Tyson spoke very calmly, and let her go.

"All right, look, your arm is gone Rosy." said Tyson. "But my friend Nero is going to replace it for you. Is that ok?"

Rosy let out a sigh of relief. "I…I don't know…will it hurt?"

"Yes, but if I hold you down, you can probably get through It." said Tyson. "It's a pretty hard thing to go through Rosy, man I wish you had staid asleep."

"Well I would have woken up anyway because of the pain," said Rosy. "But…if it means I can go on with my life…all right."

Tyson held her more gently this time around, but was ready to grip her more firm if he needed to.

Nero came out with a mechanical arm, it was well-made, however there were spikes all around the wrist area.

"Oh man! That's what you want to putt onto my arm? It looks like a wrestler's arm!" Rosy complained. "It's all mean and scary looking!"

Tyson half smiled. "Beggars can't be choosers Rosy, better then nothing right?"

Rosy looked a little annoyed. "Right, I guess."

Nero looked happy that she seemed ok with it.

"Ok Rosy, this is going to hook into the area right there," Nero pointed. "but we're going to have to take the bandages off now, the area there is very tender so it's not going to be painless, then I'm going to-"

"NERO!" Tyson interrupted, but not in a mean way, more an irritated manner. "I don't think she wants to know."

Rosy laughed. "Yeah, probably best if you leave me out of the loop."

Tyson tightened his grip around Rosy's arms.

Rosy was extremely nervous right now, she knew it was going to be a very uncomfortable experience.

The artificial arm was set in place, and Rosy closed her eyes tightly.

Nero was very precise, and Tyson was making sure she couldn't move and have to start over again.

It was a slow and horrible time for Rosy.

When it was all over, there was a great ache in her arm.

Her eyes opened up, and she looked over her hand.

The artificial arm was strong, and felt strong, but the spikes scared Rosy a little bit, it was too far away to harm her, but she figured she had to be careful hugging people from now on.

Nero was very pleased it was a success.

"Wonderful, we'll get your leg done in a few moments, I need a breather." Nero said, sitting down looking very drained.

Rosy tried moving her hand, it felt a little weird.

"Errr," She said with an uneasy look. "It's a bit ferocious isn't it?"

Nero laughed. "It's all right Rosy; you can't hurt anyone unintentionally with that thing."

Rosy started moving her arm; it was still very new to her.

Nero left the two alone for a moment, looking for a plated leg so Tyson could walk.

Rosy sat down.

"Do you think…Iblis got Lalo?" Rosy said, sounding very serious.

"I'm sure he's fine," Tyson said, not really knowing how to comfort her. "But Rosy, I don't really think it's safe for you to be traveling anymore."

"What? I can't just leave Lalo by himself because I'm too scared to walk along the paths," Rosy protested.

"Rosy, you know as well as I do how many dangerous things come up while traveling, you have an emblem, and a darn good one," Tyson said. "You have a last name, an important last name. Rosy you're set for life, Lalo's always worrying about you, and don't you think he'd be more relieved to know you've settled down in one spot? Lalo's a thief, and with or without your consent, he's going to have to continue that."

"No! He promised me he'd never steal again." said Rosy.

"he said that Rosy, but traveling from place to place, how do you think he's going to be able to support both you and him?" said Tyson.

Tyson was trying to give her good advice but Rosy was just offended by it.

"All right Rosy, it's not my place to tell you how to live your life after all," Tyson said, dismissing it.

Rosy looked glad of his not continuing the conversation, she hated to think of decisions like that.

End chapter


	25. Chapter 25 “The Throw down”

Chapter 25 "The Throw down"

Lalo was preparing for the attack he saw coming.

He was lying on his back, with his hands spread apart to keep the lava away.

It was a rocky landscape; his ability was keeping the lava distant for now.

The land was smooth from the lava, but there were pointed ground spikes alongside him.

Iblis was approaching slowly; Lalo knew he couldn't keep this up forever.

He was in pain, because he felt a jab in his back, like he was laying on one of the ground spikes.

But just then, Lalo ran into quite a different problem.

As Lalo tried moving the ground spike, he felt no problem pulling it out of his back; it was no spike.

He was holding in his hand, one of the seven fake chaos emeralds.

The originals were destroyed, but the fake ones worked almost the same way.

His breath was fast, coming in and out of him like his heart was going to leap out of his body.

Now, all Lalo's doubts about the legends were completely gone.

He felt this different feeling in his heart, like the fake emerald was reading it like a book.

He held on to it tightly and tried to get up.

Iblis' eyes glowed with enthusiasm, it had at long last found what it was looking for, and all that stood in its way was terrified little Lalo, scampering backwards.

Iblis kept coming closer, till he was two feet from Lalo.

It stretched out its hand for the chaos emerald in Lalo's, and this is when Lalo found an opportunity.

The massive monster was about to get the emerald, and Lalo threw his other hand against Iblis' with a bellowing scream.

Iblis' arm heated up and glowed an orange color; Lalo's touch was like acid to the abomination.

Iblis roared, not putting up with Lalo any longer.

It picked Lalo up by his arm and stretched him highly above the lava and ground.

Lalo was panicking, he felt like his arm was being torn off, and he couldn't get his palm on Iblis' to burn him.

Iblis couldn't get the emerald, he tried to find it but it seemed like it was no longer there.

Iblis assumed Lalo had dropped it, and held Lalo's arms together tightly.

Lalo shut his eyes, knowing this could be the end.

His life flashed before his eyes, and his heart slowed down significantly.

Iblis wound up his mighty arm, and threw Lalo…into the lava.

Lalo felt nothing…his arms were too weak to let go of one another.

His body was slowly being absorbed and obliterated by the lava, the ability kept the pain away but he knew there was not much he could do now…

he held his head over the lava as it was now the only thing left, but he didn't understand why he was not dead yet.

The emerald was still in his hand, he didn't understand why Iblis didn't see it.

He closed his eyes one last time…

There was a calm quietness, something he could not quite understand.

He opened his eyes…but where he was standing was not the lava river; it was a white floor of which he could see nothing but bright light.

A lovely looking woman was standing there; it appeared to be Rosy with a kind expression on her face.

She faded out, and he saw Sofia there, she faded out.

Then Shadow appeared standing there, his arms behind his back with a solemn expression, and then he too faded out.

Lalo knew at once, he was not on Blake's planet anymore.

He looked about himself, and saw he was there, whole, without a scratch on him.

But what surprised him the most, was that he was holding the fake chaos emerald, it was bright in his hand.

"A noble heart…" he heard a woman's voice speaking.

"Tikal?" Lalo managed to say, he felt a tiredness overwhelm him.

Tikal was standing there, bright as day.

"I am blessed to be the messenger." Tikal said with a smile.

End chapter


	26. Chapter 26 “Tasks”

Chapter 26 "Tasks"

Lalo didn't understand. "What? But…aren't I dead?"

"Not exactly…." Tikal said. "You would have been, if you did not have that Fake emerald."

"Then I'm not dead?!" Lalo said.

Tikal laughed sweetly. "I am not supposed to interfere with you…but you just got away with murder…in a manner of speaking. That ability of yours is an amazing one…you felt no pain am I correct? That's because you didn't really die…because of this ability…you have simply just sunk to the bottom of the lava lake…"

"Then where am I now?" said Lalo. "And why did I see the others here, then they faded away?"

"This is your subconscious…subconsciously you thought you were dead…so you thought of figures of your past…I would not be here…if not for needing to give you this message…Iblis has gained some of the fake emeralds already…the fake emeralds work the same way…the real ones were destroyed long ago…I suppose I lead you to believe otherwise…"

Tikal sighed. "Lalo…you can not beat Iblis…he is too strong for you alone…there are many you've met who are strong…rely on them for support…and whatever you do…do not doubt yourself…for it will cause you to loose…there is an ancient tomb hidden in a deep part of this world…it will clear up any doubts you may have…and possibly lead you to your next task…"

Lalo frowned; this was too much to comprehend.

Tikal looked saddened. "I have waited long…walking through time…but alas…so has another…doing evil against this world…now you are the key to stopping this world's misery…if you don't…then I know that Iblis will awaken another enemy…known only as 'Mephiles the Dark' …he will join with Iblis…and destroy the world…there will be no life other then fire…please…you must stop him…you must save this world…only by finding the fake chaos emeralds…can you truly beat him…"

"But how? Even if I do get the emeralds, I can't use them." said Lalo.

"There is one who can…who knows how to use them…Shadow the hedgehog is yet alive…and he has a deep power within him that can come out when the emeralds are gathered…even if they are fake……" said Tikal, her voice echoed as she spoke.

"But I don't trust him! Every thing is his fault in the first place! He caused it!" Lalo shouted.

"So he did…but he was looking for what he lost…and now he's looking to fix what he caused others to loose…"

Lalo looked down, trying to dismiss what she'd said.

"Head my words…for now you will have a challenge to face…rise above the lava…but do not confront Iblis…flee from him…"

"Won't my body burn off?" Lalo asked.

"You have the fake emerald to thank for that…farewell…Flame-Caster…"

End chapter


	27. Chapter 27 “The New Plan”

Chapter 27 "The New Plan"

Lalo rose up, gasping for breath, neck up in burning lava.

Iblis was not concerned for him, thinking he'd killed him just then.

But he was still searching for the Fake Emerald.

Lalo was not sure what to do now, at this point all he cared about was getting to land.

He stretched his arms up, and a wave of lava was cast out in front of him, shattering a part of the earth, and grabbing Iblis' attention.

Iblis let out a mighty roar, rearing his head back at where the wave hit.

Lalo did not have much time now…he stood now on a stump of ground, the lava had moved away from him.

He was tired, and short of breath.

Steam was getting in his eyes, it was hard not to release his arms and rub them.

Iblis was getting closer, Lalo felt the fur standing up on his back; he was terrified.

The fake emerald was lying at his feet, and he knew Iblis would not hesitate to take it.

Lalo grunted, the steam seemed to get worse the longer he staid there, but he felt cornered now.

How could he survive a second drowning? Tikal couldn't help him now, and he knew it.

But if he moved out of place, the lava could easily overwhelm the place in which he was standing.

"I need a miracle…" Lalo said gravely.

Iblis turned his head backwards, there was something lighting up the putrid sky.

A dimly lit light was pointed upwards.

Anna was standing on top of the mountain, letting out a little energy.

"What is she doing?" thought Lalo. "I thought she wanted me dead?"

Anna let out a bellowing laugh, even Lalo heard it.

It sounded like her girly self, but so sadistic and disturbing it almost made Lalo cringe.

Lalo saw the lava depart as Iblis moved, going down to the other side naturally.

He took a sigh of relief; he didn't have to hold his hands up any longer.

However, the steam was unbearable.

He had no choice but to follow Iblis' rout.

There was a green light illuminating through Anna's person; she was a little ways away.

And that's when Lalo realized something.

"Green Light…she…she's the one Tyson was talking about!" Lalo snarled. "The one who killed my ancestor!"

Lalo stood on a path, close to Anna's mountain.

Iblis started climbing the mountain like it was nothing, but something was stopping it from advancing too far.

The green light, it got bright then died down again.

Anna was hardly herself, you could barely see her eyes; the rest of her was a green light with a twisted voice coming from it.

"I HAVE FINALLY DONE WHAT YOU COULDN'T!" she scoffed at Iblis.

Lalo came up a little closer, to the base of the mountain; he didn't trust the land around him.

Anna was still laughing.

"I had a plan, a plan to use the people of this world, and I wasted a good many years gaining their trust, but for nothing now," thought Anna. "I don't need them now! I don't need them, this is wonderful! Forget my old plan; I have a better one now!"

"Things are about to get a lot more FUN!" she screeched.

Iblis was not reacting; it didn't seem to understand what she was doing.

"IBLISSSSSS! Your time is UP! You wanted to awaken Mephiles by finding the fake emeralds and fusing them with him?! You truly don't understand TRUE CHAOS!!" Anna said, forming more like herself on the top of the mountain's sharpest tip. "Mephiles is nothing, COMPAIRED TO ME!"

Anna pointed her hand out at Lalo.

Lalo's eyes opened up, he'd been spotted.

Iblis jeered at him, now knowing he'd survived.

There was a green color twirling around her hand, until her whole hand glowed green.

Then, a beam of the light shot out from her hand, and swirled around Lalo.

Lalo screamed; it hit him like an arrow.

She clenched her hands, and lifted it upwards, and suddenly, Lalo was floating.

Anna was using telekinesis.

"A little trick I picked up from a guy called Silver a long while back," Anna smiled.

Lalo shot through the air quickly, darting upwards to the top of the mountain.

He was now a foot away from her, unable to move out of place.

She stroked his face, a wicked look in her eyes.

"I was going to use a rock to break the mountain open, but since you're here anyway," Anna said.

End chapter


	28. Chapter 28 “Lost Breath”

Chapter 28 "Lost Breath"

Shadow and Sofia were deep within the cave, there was an odd feeling shared by each of them.

You could not see very well, but the walls were made of strong stone.

Just then, Shadow felt something overcome him, like a bolt of lightning hit him.

"What is it?" Sofia asked.

"I sense…emerald energy," said Shadow.

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There was a shaking in the ground.

Both Tyson and Rosy ran out the door.

Half the town was outside now…but after the shaking stopped, their eyes pointed to Tyson…

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Lalo was lifted upwards, so high he could see the reddish white clouds close.

He could do nothing; Anna had complete control over his body.

Iblis was letting out multiple roars, it seemed that Anna's abilities had advanced so much over the years, she could single-handedly contain Iblis temporarily in one place.

Lalo's heart was beating rapidly.

He managed to close his eyes, he knew what was coming.

"What was the point of being saved from drowning? Only to die like this," thought Lalo.

Anna blinked. "There's something wrong with this picture,"

She held both of them still with her one hand, and put her finger to her mouth with her other.

"You know what would make this situation more interesting? If there was an audience!"

She snapped her fingers, then, she seemed to be moving her hand the same way she did when she used telekinesis on Lalo and Iblis.

"Lucky, I checked in on where your little friend was staying," she said.

The green light shot out from her hand, and ran frontward, till it was miles away.

Lalo was floating above…fazed by the feel of the energy.

Anna's energy was not like Chaos Energy, the feeling it gave was of anger, power, agony and despair.

"Maybe this is why she's so cold…" Lalo thought to himself. "The light that runs through her is more like darkness."

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"ROSYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!" Tyson called out.

A green gripping aura had a hold of her, and, just as she was about to be dragged across the lava sea, it vanished, and dropped her on the floor.

Tyson held on to her tightly. "Rosy?! Rosy are you alright?!"

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Anna let her other hand fall, she was previously going to bring Rosy closer to her, but now, there was another thing on her mind.

Iblis was starting to break free of her hold, but oddly enough, that is not what caught Anna's attention.

Her hand was still gripping Lalo and Iblis with her ability, but she seemed to completely forget the two of them.

On the base of the mountain, stood a hedgehog.

He was strong looking, he had a brown leather belt across his chest and a look in his eyes Anna recognized.

His fur was a pinkish color, with red streaks along the top of them.

Anna's lip quivered, like she was starring at a ghost.

A few moments went by, Lalo could only watch.

Iblis was struggling more and more.

"Anna," the hedgehog said, very bitter in tone, but he seemed to expect to see her.

Anna studied him for a second, until she realized who he was. "Marty, you're alive, well, things just got a lot more interesting,"

"I've seen you," Marty said. "The real you,"

Anna leapt down, and landed perfectly at the base of the mountain in ease.

Anyone else making that leap would have died.

It was nearly a thousand feet up, yet she climbed it in seconds, and jumped off it in less then that.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she said.

"Anna, leave the boy alone," said Marty.

Anna grinned. "If I recall, it wasn't so long ago you were the boy, Ah I see, you're a 'Man' now are you?"

"Yes," Marty smirked. "You however, have got to be what? An Old Lady now?"

Anna scowled. "I am AGELESS, fool!"

"Well, you weren't always, you were a little girl once," Marty said, Anna seemed a little alarmed after his statement. "You still remember that, don't you?"

"SO WHAT IF I DO?!" said Anna.

"I went back there you know, back to your time," said Marty. "I saw you take your father's life,"

"What are they talking about?" Lalo wondered. "Is she still going to kill me…?"

Tears were starting to form on Anna's face. "SHUT UP!"

"You took away your own innocence! You willingly chose to open up the darkness within yourself!" said Marty. "I understand why you are the way you are,"

Anna's tears seemed to vanish right off her face, turn a greenish black, and let loose into the air.

"Good, then maybe you'll understand THIS!" said Anna.

Anna threw her fist frontward, facing the mountain.

There was a gnashing sound, it made the heart stop, and the air clear out of the room.

Lalo had just been thrust against the sharp tip of the mountain…

Blood started trickling down it…his hand twitched once…

There was a hole through his chest, and his eyes lost all color.

The lava started flowing deep down in its vastness around the mountain.

Lalo's hand fell…and his last breath…was stolen…

End chapter


	29. Chapter 29 “To Face the Beast”

Chapter 29 "To Face the Beast"

Rosy could not see Lalo very well but the blood traveled half way by now…

"LALO NO!!!" she started clawing at the base of the mountain, forgetting all her facial pain from being thrown on the ground. Tyson looked directly up, his eye focusing on Lalo's being…

"THIS CAN'T BE!!!" Rosy vainly tried crawling the mountain but it was no use, there was. Her artificial arm was grinding into the rock, making her way upward but she was slipping on the red stains.

Anna looked down, scowling at her. "Pathetic."

Marty could not believe she'd sunk so low. "I should have expected you to do something so terrible."

With one sentence from Marty, Iblis went into a flaming rage. "IF that boy dies, you can't get into the tomb of the Chaos emeralds!!"

The fiery image of the beast lit up in fury as it broke free from Anna's illuminating grasp. Anna felt the mountains shaking as Iblis rattled the earth, and there was panic in her voice.

Rosy was laying there pressed into the side, holding on tightly. She'd made it pretty far up the mountain for an average person, her arm was making it slightly easier as it did not feel pain but Tyson was screaming at her. "STOP ROSY! THE EARTH IS SHAKING!!!! YOU'LL DIE!!!"

She ignored his advice and kept going, gaining fast up the mountain as she thrust her arms and legs into cracks and positions of the earth.

At least Iblis broke free completely, climbing the mountain himself, barring lava on one entire side of it, burning the earth itself.

Tyson was loosing options fast and Marty did not seem to be doing anything at all. Tyson was getting smoke blow up in his face and the already toxic breathing air was becoming worse as the lava mixed up with the crusty ground.

"I'm going to hate myself for this." Tyson thought to himself as he took a deep breath.

He started sailing the mountain extremely fast, way faster then Rosy even as determined as she was, and the tool he was using, was the scrap metal sword he'd gained. He was close under Rosy now. "Rosy Iblis is scaling this thing! Come back down!"

"NO!!!" She screamed her eyes full of tears. "I will not let Iblis take him from me!!"

Tyson exchanged a look towards Marty, one of hatred. He could not believe that he would send Iblis to the body of his fallen friend…

With one foul swoop Iblis took out his hand, illuminating the lava from it as to take Lalo unharmed. His hand was foul and weird looking, lick a bare tree branch with claws. Rosy was in denial, still running through the side of the mountain, with her bear hands even. But she was not getting anywhere; it was a thousand feet up after all. Tyson staid under her, trying to be her safety net if she fell.

Iblis slid down to the ground, showing himself without the lava, evil looking even in his eyes. Lalo was laying on the ground now, a hollow hole through his chest, his eyes closed…

Rosy was still going for the top. "STOP IT ROSY! LALO ISN'T EVEN UP THERE!"

Tyson was pulling on her tail gently. "What would you do if he saw you doing this! He's gone Rosy!"

Her eyes opened up… and her face was blank. "Lalo is…dead…"

Her grip got less strong… she was going to intentionally fall to her death. "NO!!!!"

As she fell, Tyson took a brave swipe in her direction, and grabbed her by the locket. "Oh no! This will hang her if I don't act quickly!"

He brought her up, but by bit and had her up by the scruff of her fur. She was lifeless now, unwilling to even move her body. "No Tyson…let go of me…"

The locket was twanging against the side of the mountain and there was a cracking sound in it. Inside was revealed a picture of two foxes smiling, in a happier world and a happier time, "Trixie and Ken" was engraved inside it. Tyson paid no mind to this was he was having an extremely hard time keeping hold of Rosy and on his sword that was acting as a support.

"Well Dad, you always told me it was important to keep a sword with me." Tyson laughed at the irony. "I need to figure out a way to get down without Rosy being harmed."

It was a sad sight as the monster examined Lalo… the fallen fox deserved more then that, the greater purpose that was in store for him was now forfeit.

Shadow gasped in his throat. "I KNEW I felt Chaos Energy!"

There was a smile on Shadow's face; pure joy was running through him. "Is this true? Have my abilities returned to me?!"

"Did you actually use Chaos Control without knowing it?!" Sofia was baffled. "I though that gaining your memory meant you had to give up your abilities."

She took a moment to see where they were, and sure enough they were standing right In front of Iblis. Sofia looked downward…

"LALO?!" she screeched, putting herself in front of him.

"Stay away you beast!!"

"Sofia stop it! You idiot!! Do you want it to kill you?!" Shadow was angered at her impulsiveness.

End chapter


	30. Chapter 30 “The Beams of Green”

Chapter 30 "The Beams of Green"

Shadow was about to charge forward but he noticed something weird about his hand, it was glowing green. "Is this… because the Chaos Energy endowed within me is reacting to something…?"

Tyson's eyes were watering. "I have one idea how to save Rosy, but its suicide for me!"

Iblis roared once more. Marty was still on high ground, starring Anna down.

"You would actually let Iblis take this planet rather then me?" Anna said sharply.

"You really don't see what this boy is do you? He's not merely a flame-caster he's born with a connection to fire itself." Marty spoke brashly back to her.

Suddenly, the entire earth started shooting out green beams of pure light, blinding Iblis and the others, forcing them to shut their eyes. But Shadow continued to look, he felt drawn to it…

One beam in particular was lighting up underneath his feet, and as the sky turned green he could see the mountain breaking in two. It started separating from the other half, opening up as if alive. Tyson and Rosy were almost falling if not for Tyson's strong arm and willpower. There, shining in the smoky air, were seven wondrous chaos emeralds, and in the center of all of them was a humongous Master Emerald.

And then, something amazing happened, Lalo's eyes began to open.

"Tikal..?" He spoke.

In the flashing light Tikal made one final appearance. "Go to the Master Emerald Lalo! Stop this monster once and for all!"

Lalo felt himself, and the hole in his chest was gone. "Is it possible, the emeralds…?"

The fox started rushing towards the center of the mountain quickly. "Oh Rosy you were right all this time! The Chaos Emeralds ARE real! Why didn't I believe you before!"

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Anna leapt viciously downward, her green emerald eyes overpowering the light. But before she could run in to challenge Lalo, Shadow was facing her way.

"Out of the way sorry excuse for an old legend!" Anna howled.

Shadow was incredibly annoyed you could see it in his eyes, but now he was fighting blind. "I can't see you, but I can SENSE YOU! Emerald Fox!"

"CHAOS SPEAR!" Shadow screamed ferociously.

The second it impacted Anna she felt a sting to the face. "Why you…"

It was that moment a fight sprung out between the two, energy against energy, offensive against offensive. The sight would have stopped anyone, but not Lalo. His determined eyes were pushing forward though he felt the pain in his chest slowly returning.

There was a light in the center of the tunnel, and Iblis was making the earth shake in anger and displeasure. Sofia was stunned to the point of just standing there… Shadow was actually fighting with Chaos moves.

Lalo let out a long yell as he dove on to the Master emerald, lying on top of it… then everything got quiet…

The sound of the fights and screaming and roaring had dulled to complete silence. Lalo felt life slipping away from him slowly. "Tikal, thank you for the jumpstart… however long it was."

The Fox was on top of the glorious emerald, shining with all its energy and power. He smiled as he knew the last solution. "I really was born to bring some importance back into this sad world. Chaos Is the power enriched by the heart… well… you can go ahead and take my whole heart if you want it… but in return please rid this land of the lava that tortures it…bring back to it a life where Rosy… can be happy…

The Master Emerald reacted to his wish… and the most amazing thing began happening to the outside world. The lava… had finally cooled.

It started flowing down deep like it was being soaked into the earth itself, it stopped flowing, it stopped the incredible heat, and Iblis began to loose control over himself.

"ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" it howled as the lava started melting over its entire being. It moaned and struggled but something was happening to it, its scull collapsed inside itself and it fell dead as ashes in front of Sofia's eyes.

Tyson was shaking loose, and decided he'd take his chances now. "Rosy, hold on to me tight."

Tyson detached the metal and gold plates he wore as body armor and attached them to his feet, hoping to use them as skies down the mountain. "This is suicide if I'm not lucky, which I never have been…"

To his astonishment, it worked. He was screaming like a madman the entire way down but in turn he landed right on top of a smooth bit of ground.

Moments passed, and Anna had stopped her fight with Shadow the moment Iblis had died.

"Heheheh," she started into manic laughter, angry and pleased at the same time.

Marty showed up next to her. Anna guessed he'd used a time loop to appear there. "This changes nothing; I WILL take this world one day…"

Marty put his fist in front of her eyes, then grabbed her by the shirt, and vanished in front of their eyes.

"Did he… use Chaos Control?" Shadow thought to himself. "Either way, our fight was not finished! That irritates me!"

There was the sound of cheering and happy laughter as the lava on the planet had left them once and for all. The ground was wonderful, ten times better for growing anything they'd ever had before. And the rivers started roaring and the trees seemed to be rejoicing.

Rosy ran as fast as her legs could carry her to the center of the broken mountain, in front of the Master Emerald. On top of the glowing green emerald, was the body of the heroic fox… His eyes were only open by a little bit, looking like he was waiting for something.

Blood was spewing from his wound; it was forming as it was when he was thrust into the mountain tip.

Rosy was weeping at his feet. "Lalo… don't leave me Lalo."

Lalo laughed in a weak voice. "You never needed me Rosy, you're stronger then you give yourself credit for.."

Tyson had a very sad look in her eyes… Sofia was standing next to him with the same expression.

"You actually gave yourself in order to rid the land of evil…" Sofia was trying to hold in tears.

"Don't cry." Lalo said with a smile on his face. "I'm lucky I get to say goodbye to you guys properly. Tyson, you should leave the vengeance thing behind you, let you parents stop worrying about you. Besides, I'm ordering you to take care of my little Sister."

"Sister…?" Rosy said putting her hand on his.

With that, Lalo smiled one last time, and his eyes shut… The one person, who believed in hope the least, had single-handedly saved their world from turmoil, and allowed the sun to glow bright again.

The end


End file.
